A client's home medication list includes sulfasalazine (Azulfidine). Which questions would be appropriate for the admitting nurse to ask the client?

Question

Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. "Do you currently see any blood in your stool?"
2. "Are your toes painful now?"
3. "Are you taking this drug because you have an aspirin allergy?"
4. "Do you have inflammatory bowel disease?"
5. "Do you have gouty arthritis?"

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1,4
Rationale 1: Sulfasalazine is used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Blood in the stool is an assessment finding associated with IBD.
Rationale 2: Sulfasalazine is not given for disorders characterized by painful toes. There is no reason to expect that the client's toes are painful.
Rationale 3: Aspirin allergy has no association with why a client would take sulfasalazine.
Rationale 4: Sulfasalazine is given to treat inflammatory bowel disease.
Rationale 5: Sulfasalazine is not given for gouty arthritis.
Global Rationale: A few anti-inflammatory drug classes are specific to certain disorders. For example, the 5-aminosalicylic acid drugs such as sulfasalazine (Azulfidine) are specific to treating inflammatory bowel disease. Sulfasalazine is not given for disorders characterized by painful toes, so there is no reason to expect that the client's toes are painful. Aspirin allergy has no association with why a client would take sulfasalazine. Sulfasalazine is not given for gouty arthritis.