A patient who is taking immunosuppressant medications develops a urinary tract infection. The causative organism is sensitive to sulfonamides and to another, more expensive antibiotic. The prescriber orders the more expensive antibiotic. The nursing student assigned to this patient asks the nurse why the more expensive antibiotic is being used. Which response by the nurse is correct?
a) Immunosuppressed patients are folate deficient. b) Patients who are immunosuppressed are more likely to develop resistance. c) Sulfonamides are bacteriostatic and depend on host immunity to work. d) Sulfonamides intensify the effects of immunosuppression.
Question 2
A patient with second-degree burns is treated with silver sulfadiazine Silvadene. A nursing student asks the nurse about the differences between silver sulfadiazine and mafenide Sulfamylon, because the two are similar products, and both contain sulfonamides. What does the nurse tell the student about silver sulfadiazine?
a) It causes increased pain when the medication is applied. b) It has a broader spectrum of antimicrobial sensitivity. c) It has antibacterial effects related to release of free silver. d) It suppresses renal excretion of acid, causing acidosis.