A patient with severe heart failure asks why the prescriber has lowered the dosages of most of the patient's daily medications. What is the nurse's best response?
a. "With a weaker heart, the drugs stay in your system longer, so you don't need as high a dosage."
b. "Your heart drugs enhance the action of your other drugs, reducing the need for higher dosages."
c. "Your heart is not strong enough to tolerate these drugs, making the risk for a heart attack higher."
d. "The drugs are very expensive, and with these heart problems your health is not expected to improve."
A
Good heart function is needed to move drugs in the blood to the liver and kidneys. Poor circula-tion as a result of heart failure can lead to slower drug metabolism and elimination. This can cause toxic buildup of drug blood levels. Commonly, drug dosages are lowered for patients with severe heart failure.
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