A 68-year-old patient who must take antihistamines for severe allergies is planning a vacation to Mexico. The nurse will encourage the patient to do what?
A) Avoid sightseeing during the hottest part of the day.
B) Discontinue the antihistamines if he becomes extremely restless.
C) Decrease the dosage of the drugs if he experiences excessive thirst.
D) Continue taking the antihistamines even if he begins to hallucinate.
A
Feedback:
Antihistamines can cause anticholinergic effects, which would result in decreased sweating and place the patient at high risk for heat stroke. Avoiding the hottest part of the day will help prevent dehydration and heat prostration. Extreme restlessness could indicate Parkinson-like syndrome not usually associated with antihistamines. Excessive thirst is characteristic of hyperglycemia. Hallucinations are associated with drugs that affect neurologic functioning. Further, nurses should never tell patients to decrease or discontinue a drug unless the prescriber has instructed them to do so.
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