The patient's prescriber has ordered antibiotic combination therapy. The patient asks the nurse why two antibiotics are required. Which response by the nurse best describes the rationale for combination therapy?
a. "Additional coverage is provided in case one of the antibiotics is ineffective."
b. "The first antibiotic potentiates the effect of the second antibiotic."
c. "This is the only effective treatment for fever of unknown origin."
d. "An allergic response is less likely if two antibiotics are administered."
ANS: B
The best rationale for combination therapy is that some drugs, when given concurrently, have a potentiative interaction; that is, one given with the other has a greater effect than either given alone.
If an antibiotic is ineffective, it should be replaced by the second antibiotic, not administered concurrently.
Fever of unknown origin does not necessarily require two different antibiotics.
The risk of allergic response would be increased, not decreased, with two antibiotics.
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