The nurse knows that acyclovir would most likely be prescribed for which type of infection?

A. Treat a superinfection in the patient.: A superinfection occurs when normal flora are disrupted by prolonged antibiotic use, allowing resistant organisms to overgrow. The client has not yet received antibiotics or shown signs of secondary infection.

B. Provide empiric therapy.: Empiric therapy refers to the administration of antibiotics based on the most likely cause of infection before culture results are available. Since the patient is not currently infected and is only preparing for surgery, empiric therapy is not the purpose.

C. Provide prophylactic therapy.: Prophylactic antibiotic therapy is given before certain surgical or invasive procedures to prevent potential infection. Administering antibiotics prior to pacemaker implantation reduces the risk of postoperative infections, such as endocarditis or device-related infections.

D. Provide definitive therapy.: Definitive therapy is used when the specific causative organism has been identified through cultures and sensitivity testing. Because no infection has been diagnosed in this patient, definitive therapy is not appropriate in this preoperative context.

A. A client with acute, non-infectious diarrhea.: Loperamide is safe and effective for treating acute, non-infectious diarrhea by slowing intestinal motility. It allows increased absorption of water and electrolytes, helping to reduce stool frequency and improve consistency.

B. A client with traveler’s diarrhea.: Loperamide can be used short-term in traveler’s diarrhea when symptoms are not caused by invasive bacteria. It provides symptomatic relief by decreasing bowel movements while the underlying infection is being treated.

C. A client with an E. coli infection.: Loperamide should be avoided in clients with infectious diarrhea caused by organisms such as E. coli, Salmonella, or Shigella. Slowing intestinal motility can trap bacteria and toxins in the gut, worsening the infection and increasing the risk of toxic megacolon.

D. A client who has hyperactive bowel sounds.: Hyperactive bowel sounds alone are not a contraindication to loperamide use. They are expected with diarrhea and may actually improve as the medication reduces peristaltic activity and stool frequency.