A patient taking valganciclovir (Valcyte) for cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis reports, "I'm having difficulty taking the tablets. Can I cut them in half?" The nurse should inform the patient that the medication may not be cut in half because
a. the potential exists for mutagenesis and carcinogenesis.
b. the effectiveness of the pill could be lost.
c. when the coating is destroyed, a bolus of medication is released.
d. the first-pass effect in the liver is increased.
A
The tablets should be ingested intact, without crushing or chewing, because they have the poten-tial for mutagenesis and carcinogenesis and should be handled carefully.
The pills effectiveness would not be lost by this action.
A bolus would not be delivered, and the first-pass effect would not be affected by this action.
You might also like to view...
A nurse is caring for a patient with mitral stenosis. Based on the pathophysiology of this disease process, the nurse would expect the patient to exhibit which of the following heart rhythms?
A) Normal sinus rhythm B) Supraventricular tachycardia C) Atrial fibrillation D) Electromechanical dissociation
A nurse prepares to administer oxytocin (Pitocin) intramuscularly during the third stage of labor for which of the following reasons? Select all that apply
A) Production of uterine contractions B) Stimulation of milk ejection C) Control of postpartum bleeding D) Initiation of labor E) Control of postpartum hemorrhage
After responding favorably to treatment in the intensive care unit, a patient with a diagnosis of pneumonia is in the process of being weaned from ventilation
The patient is now able to breathe spontaneously but the ventilator is currently supplementing the patient's respiration throughout the cycle. What type of ventilation best matches this patient's oxygenation needs? A) Pressure support ventilation (PSV) B) High frequency ventilation (HFV) C) Inverse ratio ventilation (IRV) D) Controlled mandatory ventilation (CMV)
Procedure manuals provide:
a. An abbreviated course of action b. A basis for orientation and staff development c. A resource only for nurse managers d. A low degree of regularity