What is the best reason that drug toxicity can occur as a result of an age-related change in the liver?

A. Encourage the patient to talk to the primary care physician about the problem

While involving the PCP is helpful, the nurse can provide direct, effective care and education first.

B. Establishing a medication regimen to control the discomfort

Medication may be necessary in severe cases, but non-pharmacologic measures like moisturizing are safer and often more effective initially.

C. Encourage the patient to take a tepid bath and use moisturizers

Tepid baths prevent skin dryness, and applying moisturizers helps restore the skin barrier, relieving pruritus.

D. Teach the patient that pruritus is an expected consequence of aging

While more common with aging, pruritus should not be dismissed; it is treatable and can significantly affect quality of life.

A. Decreased impulse conduction speed

Aging causes slower nerve conduction due to loss of myelin and reduced neurotransmitter activity, leading to slower reflexes and response times.

B. Atherosclerosis and decreased cellular respiration

These factors affect circulation and energy production but are not primary causes of slowed neurologic responses.

C. Inadequate tissue oxygenation

Can affect brain function acutely, but it's not the main cause of chronic, gradual slowing in the elderly.

D. Loss of neurons in the brain

While this occurs with aging, slowed reflexes are more specifically linked to nerve impulse transmission rather than neuron quantity alone.