Author Question: A patient with acromegaly asks the nurse about treatments for this condition. What will the nurse ... (Read 23 times)

pepyto · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

A patient with acromegaly asks the nurse about treatments for this condition. What will the nurse tell the patient?

a. Drugs are generally used after surgical and radiation therapies have been tried.
b. Drug therapy is easy to administer.
c. Drug therapy is inexpensive.
d. Drug therapy is generally short term.

Question 2

A patient has 2+ pitting edema of the lower extremities bilaterally. Auscultation of the lungs reveals crackles bilaterally, and the serum potassium level is 6 mEq/L. Which diuretic agent or-dered by the prescriber should the nurse question?

a. Bumetanide Bumex
b. Furosemide Lasix
c. Spironolactone Aldactone
d. Hydrochlorothiazide HydroDIURIL

Juro · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

A
Drugs for acromegaly are generally reserved for patients who do not respond to other therapies or for whom these therapies are not viable options. Drug therapy requires daily subQ injections and is expensive. Drug therapy is indefinite, not short term.

Answer to Question 2

C
Spironolactone is a nonpotassium-wasting diuretic; therefore, if the patient has a serum potas-sium level of 6 mEq/L, indicating hyperkalemia, an order for this drug should be questioned. Bumetanide, furosemide, and hydrochlorothiazide are potassium-wasting diuretics and would be appropriate to administer in a patient with hyperkalemia.