The nurse tells a client with pneumonia that the physician has prescribed a macrolide antibiotic because:

Question

Standard Text: Select all that apply.
1. newer macrolides have a longer half-life, which makes less frequent dosing attractive to clients.
2. newer macrolides cause fewer gastrointestinal symptoms.
3. macrolide antibiotics are considered one of the safest classes of antibiotics.
4. food does not interfere with the absorption of macrolide antibiotics as it does with other classes of antibiotics.
5. there are no strains of bacteria resistant to macrolide antibiotics.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 1,2,3
Rationale 1: Newer macrolides have a longer half-life, which means less frequent dosing and greater client adherence.
Rationale 2: Newer macrolides do cause fewer gastrointestinal symptoms.
Rationale 3: Macrolide antibiotics are well tolerated and considered one of the safest classes of antibiotics.
Rationale 4: Food can decrease the absorption of macrolide antibiotics and should be taken on an empty stomach. Some macrolide antibiotics are enteric coated to pass by the acid contents of the stomach.
Rationale 5: Macrolide-resistant strains of bacteria are becoming more common.
Global Rationale: Newer macrolides can be dosed less frequently due to a longer half-life, cause fewer gastrointestinal symptoms, and are considered one of the safest classes of antibiotics. Food does decrease absorption and resistant strains of bacteria are becoming more common.