A patient who has recently begun taking captopril (Capoten) to treat HTN calls a clinic to report a persistent cough.
The nurse will perform which action?
Reassure the client that this is nothing to worry about and will diminish over time.
Tell the patient to stop taking the drug immediately as this is a serious side effect of the drug.
Schedule an appointment with the provider to discuss changing to an ARB.
Instruct the patient to go to the emergency room immediately as this is a hypersensitivity reaction.
The Correct Answer is C
Choice A rationale
Reassuring the client without addressing the persistent cough would not be appropriate as it may signal a need for a different medication. The ACE inhibitor captopril can cause a bothersome, persistent cough in some patients due to increased bradykinin levels.
Choice B rationale
Instructing the patient to stop the medication immediately is not advised without consulting the healthcare provider. While the cough is a known side effect, stopping the medication abruptly may lead to unmanaged hypertension.
Choice C rationale
Scheduling an appointment with the provider to discuss changing to an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) is appropriate. ARBs do not typically cause a persistent cough, making them a suitable alternative for patients who experience this side effect with ACE inhibitors.
Choice D rationale
Instructing the patient to go to the emergency room immediately is unnecessary as the persistent cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors and not an emergency situation. Emergency action is warranted for symptoms of angioedema, such as swelling of the face or throat.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Platelet count measures the number of platelets in the blood, which are essential for blood clotting. However, it is not specific to monitoring the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.
Choice B rationale
Activated thromboplastin time (APT) measures the intrinsic pathway of coagulation and is typically used to monitor heparin therapy, not warfarin.
Choice C rationale
Red blood count (RBC) measures the number of red blood cells in the blood, which can indicate anemia but is unrelated to the anticoagulant effects of warfarin.
Choice D rationale
Prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) are specific tests used to monitor the anticoagulant effects of warfarin. PT measures the time it takes for blood to clot, and INR standardizes this measurement to ensure consistency across different laboratories.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Administering amoxicillin when a patient has a known allergy to penicillin can result in a serious allergic reaction. It is important to avoid using any beta-lactam antibiotic in patients with a history of penicillin allergy.
Choice B rationale
Contacting the provider to discuss using a different antibiotic is the safest course of action. The provider can prescribe an alternative antibiotic that does not belong to the beta-lactam class, reducing the risk of an allergic reaction.
Choice C rationale
Asking the provider to order an antihistamine does not address the underlying risk of administering a beta-lactam antibiotic to a patient with a penicillin allergy. Antihistamines are used to manage allergic reactions, not to prevent them.
Choice D rationale
Requesting an order for a beta-lactamase resistant drug does not eliminate the risk of an allergic reaction, as these drugs still belong to the beta-lactam class and can trigger the same allergic responses in sensitive individuals.
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