Author Question: A patient has begun taking an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor. Which statement about this class of drugs ... (Read 78 times)

craiczarry · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

A patient has begun taking an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor. Which statement about this class of drugs made by the nurse during patient education would be inappropriate?

a. Statins reduce the risk of stroke.
b. You should come into the clinic for liver enzymes in 1 month.
c. Statins reduce the risk of coronary events in people with normal LDL levels.
d. You should maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid high-fat foods.

Question 2

A patient with malaise has been taking daptomycin (Cubicin) for an infection and is concurrently taking simvastatin (Zocor). The nurse should be concerned if the patient complains of:

a. nausea.
b. tiredness.
c. muscle pain.
d. headache.

Jbrasil · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Baseline liver enzyme tests should be done before a patient starts taking an HMG-COA reductase inhibitor. They should be measured again in 6 to 12 months unless the patient has poor liver function, in which case the tests are indicated every 3 months. Statins do reduce the risk of stroke and coronary events in people with normal LDL levels. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is important, as is avoiding high-fat foods.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Statins can injure muscle tissue, causing muscle aches and pain known as myopathy/rhabdomyolysis. Daptomycin also can cause myopathy and therefore should be used with caution in patients concurrently taking simvastatin. Nausea, tiredness, and headache would not cause the nurse as much concern as the likelihood of myopathy.