Which intervention would be considered to reduce accumulation of a drug in a patient who has decreased liver function?
a. Decreasing the time interval between dosages
b. Reducing the dosage
c. Administering the medication intravenously
d. Changing the drug to one that has a longer half-life
ANS: B
Dosages must be reduced to prevent accumulation. Decreasing the time interval between dosages would increase the accumulation of the drug. The intravenous route has the fastest absorption and with liver dysfunction would increase the accumulation of the drug. A similar drug with a longer half-life would stay in the system longer; with impaired liver function, the result would be increased accumulation.
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