A patient will begin using ipratropium bromide (Atrovent), albuterol (Proventil), and an inhaled glucocorticoid medication (steroid) to treat chronic bronchitis.

When teaching this patient about disease and medication management, the nurse will instruct the patient to administer these medications in which order?

A. Take this medication at bedtime because it causes drowsiness.

Oxymetazoline is not known to cause drowsiness. It is a nasal decongestant that works by constricting blood vessels in the nasal passages to alleviate congestion.

B. This medication should only be used for asthma.

Oxymetazoline is not a medication specifically used for asthma. It is primarily used as a nasal decongestant for relieving nasal congestion associated with conditions such as allergies and the common cold.

C. Limit the use of this medication to 3 days to prevent rebound nasal congestion

Oxymetazoline is a nasal decongestant commonly used to relieve nasal congestion due to conditions like seasonal allergies or the common cold. Prolonged use of nasal decongestant sprays like oxymetazoline can lead to rebound congestion, where the nasal passages become more congested when the medication is stopped. Therefore, it is important to limit the use of oxymetazoline to a short duration (typically 3 days) to avoid this rebound effect.

D. Stop this medication immediately.

Abruptly stopping oxymetazoline is not recommended, as it may lead to rebound congestion. The nurse should advise the client to follow the recommended duration of use and, if needed, consult with a healthcare provider before discontinuing the medication.

Choice A rationale: Incorrect. Methotrexate is a chemotherapy drug and an immunosuppressant but not an antibiotic. It inhibits the metabolism of folic acid, which is necessary for cell replication, but it does not have antibiotic properties.

Choice B rationale: Incorrect. Antiestrogens are a class of drugs used to treat hormone-sensitive cancers like breast cancer by blocking the effects of estrogen. They are not antibiotics and do not have antimicrobial properties.

Choice C rationale: Incorrect. Corticosteroids are used in cancer treatment primarily to reduce inflammation and manage side effects of chemotherapy, such as nausea and allergic reactions. They have immunosuppressive properties but are not antibiotics.

Choice D rationale: Correct. Doxorubicin (Doxil) is an antitumor drug that also has antibiotic properties. It belongs to the anthracycline class of chemotherapy drugs and works by intercalating DNA, disrupting the replication and transcription processes, leading to cell death. Doxorubicin was originally derived from the bacterium Streptomyces peucetius, which imparts its antibiotic properties.