A patient who takes daily doses of aspirin is scheduled for ...

[aabwk4]

A patient who takes daily doses of aspirin is scheduled for surgery next week. The nurse should advise the patient to:
 
  a. continue to use aspirin as scheduled.
  b. reduce the aspirin dosage by half until af-ter surgery.
  c. stop using aspirin immediately.
  d. stop using aspirin 3 days before surgery.

Question 2

A patient with stable exertional angina has been receiving a beta blocker. Before giving the drug, the nurse notes a resting heart rate of 55 beats per minute. Which is an appropriate nursing ac-tion?
 
  a. Administer the drug as ordered, because this is a desired effect.
  b. Withhold the dose and notify the provider of the heart rate.
  c. Request an order for a lower dose of the medication.
  d. Request an order to change to another an-tianginal medication.

[mjbamaung]

Answer to Question 1

C
Aspirin must be withdrawn at least 1 week before surgery. Aspirin cannot be continued as sche-duled, because the risk for bleeding is too great. An interval of 3 days is not long enough for the bleeding effects of aspirin to be reversed. Cutting the dose in half would not reduce the effects of bleeding associated with aspirin use.

Answer to Question 2

A
When beta blockers are used for anginal pain, the dosing goal is to reduce the resting heart rate to 50 to 60 beats per minute. Because this heart rate is a desired effect, there is no need to withhold the dose or notify the provider. The dosage does not need to be lowered, because a heart rate of 55 beats per minute is a desired effect. There is no indication of a need to change medications for this patient.

[aabwk4]

Both answers were spot on, thank you once again

[mjbamaung]

Great! Please up vote