A nurse is collecting data from a client who received levalbuterol 30 min ago.
Which of the following findings should the nurse identify as a therapeutic effect of the medication?

Choice A rationale:

Levalbuterol is a bronchodilator that relaxes muscles in the airways and increases air flow to the lungs. Therefore, a decrease in wheezing is a therapeutic effect of the medication, making this the correct choice.

Choice B rationale:

While levalbuterol can cause an increase in respiratory rate as a side effect, it is not considered a therapeutic effect of the medication. The primary goal of levalbuterol is to improve breathing by relaxing the muscles of the airways, not to increase respiratory rate.

Choice C rationale:

Levalbuterol does not directly affect nausea. It is primarily used to treat conditions related to breathing such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Choice D rationale:

An increased heart rate is a potential side effect of levalbuterol, not a therapeutic effect.

Choice A rationale:

Hoarseness of voice can be a symptom of an allergic reaction, indicating swelling and inflammation in the throat. If the client’s voice is no longer hoarse after taking diphenhydramine, it suggests that the medication has been effective in reducing this symptom.

Choice B rationale:

Diphenhydramine is an antihistamine and can often cause drowsiness as a side effect. Therefore, feeling more alert would not typically indicate that the medication has been effective.

Choice C rationale:

While headaches can sometimes be associated with allergic reactions, they are not a primary symptom that diphenhydramine targets. Therefore, absence of a headache does not necessarily indicate effectiveness of the medication.

Choice D rationale:

Increased appetite is not typically associated with the effectiveness of diphenhydramine in treating allergic reactions.