A client who is taking warfarin asks the nurse about consuming foods high in vitamin K. Which of the following statements should the nurse include in the response?

D) Correct. Statin therapy is usually a lifelong treatment for managing high cholesterol levels. Stopping the medication once cholesterol levels are normal can lead to a rebound increase in cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular events. The client should be educated about the importance of continued adherence to statin therapy as prescribed by their healthcare provider.

A) Incorrect. Taking statin medication with the evening meal can optimize its effectiveness, as cholesterol synthesis typically occurs during nighttime.

B) Incorrect. Grapefruit can interfere with the metabolism of certain statins, leading to increased levels of the medication in the body. Therefore, it is important to avoid consuming grapefruit while taking statins.

C) Incorrect. Reporting muscle pain or weakness is crucial because statins can cause muscle-related side effects, including myopathy and rhabdomyolysis. Prompt reporting allows for early intervention or adjustment of the medication if necessary.

C) Correct. Heparin primarily affects the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade, and the activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) is the laboratory test used to monitor the client's response to heparin therapy. The aPTT provides information about the time it takes for the client's blood to clot and helps determine the appropriate heparin dosage.

A) Incorrect. Prothrombin time (PT) is used to monitor clients receiving warfarin therapy, not heparin.

B) Incorrect. International normalized ratio (INR) is also used to monitor clients receiving warfarin therapy, not heparin.

D) Incorrect. Platelet count is important to monitor for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT), a potential adverse effect of heparin therapy, but it does not directly assess the client's response to heparin therapy.