A physician has prescribed bumetanide for a client with high blood pressure who also has renal insufficiency. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching plan for this client?

Question

A) Avoid salt substitutes containing potassium.
B) Avoid over-the-counter drugs for cold symptoms.
C) Always take the drug before meals.
D) Omit the drug dose when feeling dizzy.

Answer 1

Ans: B
Feedback:
The nurse should instruct the hypertensive client to avoid medications that increase blood pressure, such as OTC drugs for appetite suppression and cold symptoms. The nurse should instruct clients taking potassium-sparing diuretics, not loop diuretics such as bumetanide, to refrain from using salt substitutes containing potassium. The nurse need not instruct the client to take the drug before meals since doing so will not decrease the client's blood pressure. The nurse should instruct the client to observe caution while driving or performing hazardous tasks when dizziness or weakness occurs. In such cases, the nurse instructs the client to rise slowly from a sitting or lying position and avoid standing in one place for an extended time.