The wife of a patient who has deterioration in memory asks the nurse whether her husband has Alzheimer's Disease. The nurse explains that a diagnosis of AD is usually made when what happens?

A. Document the time the seizure began. While timing the seizure is important to assess its duration and guide treatment, airway protection is the priority. The nurse should first position the client’s head to the side to prevent airway obstruction before documenting seizure onset.
B. Turn the client’s head to the side. Turning the client’s head to the side helps prevent aspiration of saliva or vomit and promotes airway patency. During a tonic-clonic seizure, muscle contractions can cause excessive oral secretions, increasing the risk of airway obstruction. Placing the client in a side-lying position is the first priority to maintain breathing and reduce aspiration risk.
C. Check the client's motor strength. Assessing motor strength should be done after the seizure ends, as the client will have involuntary muscle contractions during the seizure. Attempting to check motor function during the seizure could lead to injury to both the client and the nurse.
D. Loosen the clothing around the client's waist. Loosening tight clothing (especially around the neck) can help with breathing, but it is not the first priority. Positioning the client’s head to the side is more critical to prevent airway obstruction before adjusting clothing.

A. "It can increase their blood pressure." Most sedative medications, such as benzodiazepines and antipsychotics, typically cause sedation and hypotension, rather than increasing blood pressure. While some medications may have cardiovascular side effects, hypertension is not the primary concern when prescribing sedatives for clients with dementia.
B. "It can increase their risk for falls." Sedating medications, including antipsychotics and benzodiazepines, cause dizziness, drowsiness, and impaired coordination, significantly increasing the risk of falls in older adults. Dementia already affects balance, judgment, and gait, making fall prevention a top priority in this population.
C. "It can increase their risk for infection." While some medications can suppress immune function, sedatives and antipsychotics do not directly increase infection risk. The primary concern with their use in older adults with dementia is fall risk, confusion, and worsening cognitive decline.
D. "It increases their risk of experiencing a stroke." While certain antipsychotics (e.g., risperidone, olanzapine) carry a black box warning for increased stroke risk in dementia patients, this risk is not the primary reason for avoiding sedatives. Falls and associated complications, such as fractures and head injuries, are a more immediate concern in this population.