The nurse is caring for a 32-year-old woman who has an enlarged thyroid, bulging eyes, and elevated T3 and T4 levels and states she has not had a menstrual cycle in 6 months. She also states she has tremors and keeps losing weight without trying. Which of the following medications would the nurse anticipate being ordered?

Choice A reason: Levothyroxine treats hypothyroidism by adding T4, worsening hyperthyroidism’s excess hormone; antithyroid drugs are needed, so this statement is incorrect.

Choice B reason: Avoiding goitrogens (kale, cabbage) prevents thyroid suppression, appropriate in hyperthyroidism where reducing hormone production is the goal, so this is correct.

Choice C reason: Methimazole inhibits thyroid hormone synthesis, lowering T3 and T4 in hyperthyroidism, a standard treatment, making this statement accurate.

Choice D reason: Iodine blocks thyroid hormone release, reducing circulating T3/T4 in hyperthyroidism, a correct approach, especially in acute settings, so this is valid.

Choice A reason: Tachypnea occurs in left-sided heart failure as pulmonary edema from backpressure increases respiratory effort to oxygenate blood through fluid-filled alveoli.

Choice B reason: Cough in left-sided failure results from pulmonary congestion irritating airways, often producing frothy sputum as fluid leaks from capillaries into lungs.

Choice C reason: Jugular vein distention indicates right-sided heart failure, where systemic venous pressure rises, not left-sided, which affects lungs, not neck veins.

Choice D reason: Ascites, abdominal fluid buildup, stems from right-sided failure’s hepatic congestion, not left-sided failure’s pulmonary focus, making it unrelated here.

Choice E reason: Confusion may occur late in severe heart failure from hypoxia, but it’s not specific to left-sided failure’s early pulmonary symptoms like tachypnea.