A patient with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder has begun lithium ...

[kwoodring]

A patient with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder has begun lithium therapy, and the nurse has explained the need for regular monitoring of the patient's serum drug levels. What is the primary rationale for the nurse's instruction?
 
  A) It is necessary to regularly test for blooddrug incompatibilities that may develop during treatment.
  B) It is necessary to ensure that the patient's drug levels are therapeutic but not toxic.
  C) It is needed to determine if additional medications will be needed to potentiate the effects of lithium.
  D) It is needed in order to confirm the patient's adherence to the drug regimen.

Question 2

A patient is taking a nasal decongestant. Which of the following medications may dangerously increase the effects of nasal decongestants?
 
  A) Anti-infective agents
  B) Anti-inflammatory agents
  C) Proton pump inhibitors
  D) Thyroid preparations

[Bigfoot1984]

Answer to Question 1

B
Feedback:
Measuring serum drug levels is useful when drugs with a narrow margin of safety are given, because their therapeutic doses are close to their toxic doses. This is the case during lithium therapy. Serum levels are not commonly taken to monitor adherence to treatment. Blooddrug incompatibilities are not a relevant consideration.

Answer to Question 2

D
Feedback:
The administration of thyroid preparations should be done cautiously with nasal decongestants due to their increased effects. PPIs, anti-infectives, and anti-inflammatories do not have this effect.

[kwoodring]

Both answers were spot on, thank you once again

[Bigfoot1984]

Great! Please up vote