A client with a duodenal ulcer is receiving sucralfate for short-term treatment.
What should the nurse advise the client to avoid?

The nurse would assess these factors to determine the need for therapy. Some possible explanations for the other choices are:

Choice A. Number of times client’s family reports the client is nauseated.

This is not a reliable indicator of the severity or cause of nausea and vomiting.

The nurse should assess the client directly and not rely on the family’s reports.

Choice B. How well the client is eating.

This is not a specific or objective measure of nausea and vomiting.

The client may have other reasons for not eating well, such as loss of appetite, taste changes, or pain.

The nurse should also monitor the client’s weight, hydration status, and electrolyte levels.

Choice D. Client’s nutritional status and fluid balance.

These are important aspects of the client’s overall health, but they are not directly related to nausea and vomiting.

The nurse should assess these factors as part of the comprehensive care plan, but they are not sufficient to determine the need for therapy.

This is because hypothyroidism can reduce the metabolism and clearance of theophylline, leading to higher serum levels and increased risk of toxicity. Therefore, when the thyroid function is restored by levothyroxine or liothyronine, the dose of theophylline may need to be lowered to avoid excessive effects.

Choice A is wrong because decreasing theophylline dosage immediately may result in suboptimal control of asthma symptoms.

The dose adjustment should be based on serum theophylline levels and clinical response.

Choice C is wrong because discontinuing the client’s theophylline may cause worsening of asthma and potentially life-threatening complications.

Theophylline is an important bronchodilator that should not be stopped abruptly without medical supervision.

Choice D is wrong because increasing theophylline dosage immediately may cause overdose and adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, headache, tachycardia, arrhythmias, seizures and even death.

The dose of theophylline should be carefully titrated according to serum levels and clinical response.