Author Question: A patient taking atorvastatin (Lipitor) comes to the clinic with complaints of acute muscle pain not ... (Read 88 times)

karateprodigy · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

A patient taking atorvastatin (Lipitor) comes to the clinic with complaints of acute muscle pain not associated with exercise or injury. The nurse will ask questions to determine if this patient has been taking what contraindicated substance?

A) Over-the-counter (OTC) medications
B) Ginseng
C) Grapefruit juice
D) Saw palmetto

Question 2

The nurse is caring for a young adult woman taking immune modulating medications who has been advised to use barrier contraceptives but she wants to start her family.

What information can the nurse provide about these drugs to help this patient with her decision-making? A) Discuss the desire to start a family with the provider so risk can be minimized.
B) Immune modulating drugs will need to be discontinued if pregnancy occurs.
C) Immune modulating drugs have been proven to be highly teratogenic.
D) Pregnancy is not an option when taking immune modulating drugs but adoption is an option.

amynguyen1221 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
Grapefruit juice can decrease the breakdown of atorvastatin, leading to increased serum levels and toxic adverse effects, including rhabdomyolysis. Patients on this drug should be cautioned to avoid drinking grapefruit juice. OTC drugs, ginseng, and saw palmetto are not associated with increased toxicity.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
If a patient taking immune modulators becomes pregnant or decides that she wants to become pregnant, she should discuss this with her health care provider and review the risks associated with use of the drug or drugs being taken. Monoclonal antibodies should be used with caution during pregnancy and lactation. Because results of long-term studies of most of these drugs are not yet available, it may be prudent to advise patients taking these drugs to avoid pregnancy if possible. Immune modulating drugs do not need to be discontinued, but the safest drug should be prescribed. Most immune modulating drugs have not been studied and there is not enough information to know whether they are teratogenic. The nurse cannot tell a patient that pregnancy is not an option.