A nurse is preparing to care for a patient who is receiving digoxin. To help minimize the potential for adverse effects from this drug, the nurse will review which of this patient's laboratory results?
a. Albumin
b. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and creatinine
c. Hepatic enzymes
d. Serum electrolytes
ANS: D
Patients with low serum potassium are at risk for fatal cardiac dysrhythmias when taking digoxin, and it is essential to know this level before this medication is administered. Knowing a patient's albumin level would be important when giving drugs that are protein bound. The BUN and creatinine levels are indicators of renal function. Hepatic enzymes are important to know when drugs are metabolized by the liver.
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