A nurse is caring for a client who has diabetes mellitus and is taking pioglitazone. The nurse should plan to monitor the client for which of the following adverse effects?

a.While weight changes can be concerning, they are not typically life-threatening and can occur as a common side effect of antidepressants, including citalopram. Monitoring is important, but it does not require immediate reporting.

b.This is the priority to report because confusion can indicate a serious reaction to the medication, such as serotonin syndrome, especially if it occurs in conjunction with other symptoms like agitation, hallucinations, or rapid heart rate. Confusion can also signal worsening mental status, which is critical for someone with major depression.

c.This refers to teeth grinding, which can occur with certain antidepressants. While it should be monitored and possibly addressed with interventions, it is generally not an immediate concern compared to confusion.

d.Sleep disturbances can be a side effect of citalopram and may need adjustment of treatment or recommendations for sleep hygiene, but they are not as urgent as confusion.

Metformin is a medication used to lower blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. If the nurse accidentally gives metformin instead of metoprolol, the client may experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can cause symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Therefore, the nurse should check the client’s glucose level and treat hypoglycemia if needed.

Choice A is wrong because HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a type of cholesterol that is not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Choice B is wrong because thyroid function levels are not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Choice C is wrong because uric acid level is not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Uric acid is a waste product that can cause gout if it accumulates in the joints. Normal ranges for blood glucose are 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL two hours after meals.

Normal ranges for HDL are 40 to 60 mg/dL for men and 50 to 60 mg/dL for women.

Normal ranges for thyroid function levels vary depending on the specific test, but generally they are between 0.4 and 4.0 mIU/L for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), 4.5 to 11.2 mcg/dL for T4 (thyroxine), and 80 to 180 ng/dL for T3 (triiodothyronine).

Normal ranges for uric acid are 3.4 to 7.0 mg/dL for men and 2.4 to 6.0 mg/dL for women.