Which of the following is the most important nursing action to perform before initiating adalimumab therapy in a patient with Crohn's disease?
Assess for manifestations of infection
Obtain a baseline blood sugar level
Evaluate the patient's appetite
Check blood urea nitrogen levels
The Correct Answer is A
A. Assess for manifestations of infection: Adalimumab is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor that suppresses the immune system to reduce inflammation in Crohn’s disease. Immunosuppression increases susceptibility to infections, including latent tuberculosis and opportunistic pathogens. Prior to initiating therapy, assessing for signs of active infection and screening for latent TB is critical to prevent serious complications.
B. Obtain a baseline blood sugar level: Monitoring blood glucose is important for patients on corticosteroids or other medications that affect glucose metabolism, but adalimumab does not directly impact blood sugar. Baseline glucose assessment is not a priority action before starting this biologic therapy.
C. Evaluate the patient's appetite: Appetite assessment provides general nutritional information but does not influence the safe initiation of adalimumab. While overall nutritional status may affect disease management, it is not the most urgent pre-treatment consideration.
D. Check blood urea nitrogen levels: BUN assessment evaluates renal function, which may be relevant for certain medications eliminated renally, but adalimumab is primarily metabolized via reticuloendothelial pathways. Baseline BUN is not essential before starting this immunosuppressive therapy.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Bradykinesia and stiff muscles: Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The resulting dopamine deficiency leads to motor symptoms, including bradykinesia (slowness of movement), rigidity (stiff muscles), tremors at rest, and postural instability. These are hallmark manifestations used in clinical diagnosis and management of the disease.
B. Dry mouth and urinary retention: While some autonomic dysfunction can occur in Parkinson’s disease, these symptoms are more often side effects of anticholinergic medications rather than primary manifestations of the disorder. They are not considered core features of Parkinsonian motor deficits.
C. Hypertension and dizziness: Orthostatic hypotension can occur in Parkinson’s disease due to autonomic nervous system involvement, but hypertension is not a typical manifestation. Dizziness may be present if blood pressure fluctuations occur, but these are secondary findings rather than defining characteristics of the disease.
D. Numbness and tingling in the feet: Sensory neuropathy, including numbness or tingling, is not a primary symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Such manifestations are more commonly associated with peripheral neuropathies or conditions like diabetes mellitus, rather than central dopaminergic degeneration.
Correct Answer is ["A","B","D"]
Explanation
A. Genetics: A family history of multiple sclerosis (MS) increases susceptibility, indicating a genetic predisposition. Specific human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes are associated with higher risk, suggesting that inheritance plays a role in disease development, though MS is not strictly hereditary.
B. Environmental factors: Geographic location, low vitamin D levels, and reduced sun exposure have been implicated as environmental contributors to MS. Epidemiologic studies show higher prevalence in temperate regions, supporting the influence of environmental conditions on disease risk.
C. Upper respiratory infections: While infections (specifically viral infections like Epstein-Barr) are being studied as potential triggers that might kickstart the autoimmune response in susceptible people, ordinary bacterial URIs or UTIs are not identified as causes of the development of the disease.
D. Autoimmune factors: MS is widely considered an autoimmune disorder in which the body’s immune system erroneously targets central nervous system myelin. T-cell and B-cell mediated immune responses lead to demyelination and axonal injury, driving the characteristic neurologic deficits.
E. Urinary tract infections: While urinary tract infections are common complications in clients with MS due to neurogenic bladder dysfunction, they are not causative factors in the development of the disease. They exacerbate symptoms but do not contribute to disease onset.
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