A patient with diabetes develops ventricular tachycardia and is in the hospital for evaluation of this condition. The nurse reviews the history and learns that the patient takes mexiletine [Mexitil] for pain caused by peripheral neuropathy
What should the nurse do? a. Discuss common side effects associated with taking mexiletine with cardiac agents.
b. Understand that this drug will help with both peripheral neuropathy and dysrhyth-mias.
c. Notify the provider to request that another drug be used for peripheral neuropathy pain.
d. Request an order for renal function and hepatic function tests.
C
Mexiletine is an antidysrhythmic medication that can also cause dysrhythmias. It is used to treat the pain associated with peripheral neuropathy in diabetic patients, but it is contraindicated in diabetic patients with heart disease, and so it should be stopped now that this patient has devel-oped a heart disorder. Because it is contraindicated, the nurse will not teach the patient about side effects with other agents. It can exacerbate cardiac symptoms, so it should not be used to treat dysrhythmias in diabetic patients. There is no indication for tests of renal and hepatic function.
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