What instruction should a patient with a history of hypertension be provided when being discharged with a prescription for a thiazide diuretic?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Rationale: C is correct because thiazide diuretics can cause fluid retention, leading to weight gain, which may indicate worsening heart failure or hypertension. Daily weight monitoring helps detect fluid retention early, enabling timely intervention. Summary: A: Incorrect. Thiazide diuretics can cause potassium loss, so avoiding potassium-rich foods is not necessary. B: Incorrect. Taking the medication in the morning is preferred to prevent nocturia and sleep disturbances. D: Incorrect. Fluid intake should not be limited unless advised by a healthcare provider to prevent dehydration.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Take the medication in the morning on an empty stomach. Levothyroxine should be taken on an empty stomach, preferably 30 minutes to 1 hour before breakfast, to ensure optimal absorption. Food can interfere with absorption, so taking it with meals (choice A) is not recommended. Discontinuing the medication if feeling better (choice C) is dangerous as it can lead to a relapse of hypothyroidism. Doubling the dose if a dose is missed (choice D) can result in overdose and adverse effects. Therefore, choice B is the best option for optimal effectiveness of levothyroxine therapy.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The primary reason for administering morphine to a patient with MI is to reduce cardiac workload. Morphine acts as a vasodilator and decreases preload and afterload on the heart, reducing myocardial oxygen demand. This helps to improve coronary blood flow and decrease the workload on the heart muscle, which is crucial in the setting of an MI. Explanation for other choices: A: While morphine can help reduce pain in MI, the primary reason for administering it is to reduce cardiac workload. B: Morphine may have a calming effect, but the primary goal is to reduce cardiac workload. D: Morphine can actually decrease respiratory rate as a side effect, making this choice incorrect.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Partial thromboplastin time (PTT). PTT is used to monitor the effectiveness of heparin therapy because heparin primarily affects the intrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade, which is reflected in the PTT results. Monitoring PTT helps to ensure that the patient's blood is within the therapeutic range for anticoagulation. A: Prothrombin time (PT) is used to monitor warfarin therapy, which affects the extrinsic pathway of the coagulation cascade. C: Bleeding time is not typically used to monitor heparin therapy effectiveness. D: Platelet count is important to monitor for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia, but it does not directly reflect the effectiveness of heparin therapy in preventing or treating DVT.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C, administering prescribed opioid analgesics. This intervention is appropriate for severe abdominal pain in acute pancreatitis as opioids are effective in managing pain. Encouraging oral intake (A) can worsen symptoms, a supine position (B) can exacerbate pain, and a heating pad (D) can aggravate inflammation. Administering opioid analgesics provides direct pain relief and is the most effective intervention for alleviating severe abdominal pain in acute pancreatitis.