A patient with diabetes who is on oral hypoglycemic medication has been prescribed levofloxacin.

What should the nurse include in the patient’s education?

Choice A rationale
Fluid retention is a common side effect of prednisone, but it is not directly associated with compression fractures of the vertebrae.
Choice B rationale
Long-term use of prednisone can lead to osteoporosis, a condition that weakens bones and makes them more likely to break. Osteoporosis can increase the risk of fractures, including compression fractures of the vertebrae. This is likely the adverse effect of prednisone that is most associated with the client’s findings.
Choice C rationale
Adrenal insufficiency is a potential side effect of long-term prednisone use. However, it is not directly linked to compression fractures of the vertebrae.
Choice D rationale
While gastrointestinal bleeding can occur with prednisone use, it is not directly related to compression fractures of the vertebrae.

Choice A rationale
A persistent cough is not directly related to the administration of famotidine. Famotidine is a histamine-2 blocker that works by decreasing the amount of acid the stomach produces. It is used to treat and prevent ulcers in the stomach and intestines and to treat conditions in which the stomach produces too much acid. A persistent cough could be a symptom of many other conditions, but it is not a direct indicator of the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of famotidine.
Choice B rationale
The absence of a sour taste in the mouth, often associated with acid reflux, could suggest that famotidine is working as it should. However, the absence of a sour taste does not definitively indicate that the medication has had its intended effect, as the patient may not have experienced this symptom even before taking the medication.
Choice C rationale
Famotidine is used to decrease the amount of acid in the stomach. A normal stomach pH is typically around 1.5 to 3.5, which is highly acidic. If a patient’s stomach pH is measured at 5, which is less acidic than normal, it could suggest that the famotidine has not had its intended effect of reducing stomach acid.
Choice D rationale
While headaches are listed as a common side effect of famotidine, the presence of headaches does not necessarily suggest that the medication has not had its intended effect. Headaches could be caused by a variety of factors and are not a direct indicator of the level of stomach acid or the effectiveness of famotidine.