The patient has serum drug levels of an antiepileptic drug ordered. The patient asks the nurse why drug levels are measured. What is the nurse's best response?
A) To evaluate whetherthe therapeutic range is reached
B) To measure the amount of toxicity
C) To determine the effect of the drug on body systems
D) To evaluate the effectiveness of therapy
A
Feedback:
Measuring serum drug levels evaluates whether the therapeutic range of circulating drug can be found in the serum. It does not measure toxicity, which can occur even when the drug level is within prescribed range, and it does not evaluate effectiveness of therapy, which can only be evaluated by determining whether the drug is having the desired effect of reducing number of seizures. To determine the effect the drug is having on other body systems, it would be necessary to draw lab levels that measure functioning of that particular system.
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