A patient with Parkinson's disease says, "I always take my other medications with my bacon and eggs each morning. Can I take the levodopa (Dopar) at this time too?" The nurse's best response would be
a. "You can take the levodopa at breakfast if it helps you to remember to take it."
b. "You should take all of your medications together to enhance efficacy."
c. "You should take the levodopa at least 1 hour before you eat your breakfast."
d. "You should never take this medication with food, because that would increase its side effects."
ANS: C
Meals with a high protein content, such as bacon and eggs, can reduce therapeutic responses to levodopa by significantly reducing both the amount of levodopa absorbed and the amount transported into the brain. A high-protein meal could trigger an abrupt loss of effect. The patient should be instructed to take the medication 1 hour prior to breakfast.
Taking the medication at breakfast would not be indicated for a patient who eats a breakfast high in protein.
Taking all the medications together can potentiate or negate the effects of medications, resulting in toxicity and/or drug-to-drug interactions.
Taking the medication with food would reduce absorption, not increase it.
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