The nurse is medicating the patient daily with warfarin (Coumadin). The patient is having blood levels drawn daily to determine the dose needed. The nurse realizes that the goal is to reach which of the following?
a. The minimum effect concentration (MEC) in the plasma
b. Reach the peak concentration level of the medication
c. The level that falls between the MEC and toxic level
d. An adequate trough level in the plasma
C
The goal of medication therapy is to achieve a constant, therapeutic level, which falls between the MEC and the toxic concentration. As patients take medication doses over time, the plasma level of the medication fluctuates constantly between doses. The minimum effect concentration (MEC) is the plasma level below which a patient does not experience the effect of a medication. The peak concentration is the highest plasma level, whereas the trough concentration is the lowest plasma level.
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