A patient is using laxatives three times daily to lose weight. After stopping laxative use, the patient has difficulty with constipation and wonders if laxatives should be taken again. Which information will the nurse share with the patient?
a. Long-term laxative use causes the bowel to become less responsive to stimuli, and constipation may occur.
b. Laxatives can cause trauma to the intestinal lining and scarring may result, leading to decreased peristalsis.
c. Long-term use of emollient laxatives is effective for treatment of chronic constipation and may be useful in certain situations.
d. Laxatives cause the body to become malnourished, so when the patient begins eating again, the body absorbs all of the food, and no waste products are produced.
ANS: A
Teach patients about the potential harmful effects of overuse of laxatives, such as impaired bowel motility and decreased response to sensory stimulus. Make sure the patient understands that laxatives are not to be used long term for maintenance of bowel function. Increasing fluid and fiber intake can help with this problem. Laxatives do not cause scarring. Even if malnourished, the body will produce waste if any substance is consumed.
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