Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

Patients with Down syndrome are NOT at increased risk for which condition?

1. Atlantoaxial instability

2. Congenital heart disease

3. Early onset Alzheimer's disease

4. Melanoma

The correct answer is: Melanoma

Patients with Down syndrome are not at increased risk for melanoma compared to the general population. Down syndrome, or Trisomy 21, is associated with several health concerns, but melanoma is primarily linked to factors such as excessive sun exposure and genetic predispositions that are not typically associated with this genetic condition. Patients with Down syndrome are known to have an increased risk of various other medical conditions, such as atlantoaxial instability, which involves abnormal shifting of the vertebrae in the neck; congenital heart disease, which is present in a significant proportion of individuals with Down syndrome; and early onset Alzheimer's disease, which can occur at a younger age in these patients due to the genetic abnormalities associated with their condition. Thus, while patients with Down syndrome face a multitude of health challenges, melanoma is not a condition that significantly affects this population, making it the correct answer.