Which medication prescription should the nurse question before administering to a client with heart failure?

Study for the UWorld Pharmacology Test. Use flashcards and multiple choice questions, each with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

In a client with heart failure, the prescription that should be questioned is furosemide. This medication is a loop diuretic commonly used to manage fluid overload, a frequent issue in heart failure. While it can help alleviate symptoms by reducing volume overload and improving symptoms like pulmonary congestion and edema, there are specific circumstances in heart failure patients where its use could lead to complications.

Furosemide can potentially cause electrolyte imbalances, particularly hypokalemia (low potassium levels), which can be dangerous in patients with heart failure whose cardiac function may already be compromised. If the client has a history of significant renal impairment, excessive diuresis from furosemide could lead to dehydration and worsen kidney function, leading to further complications. Careful monitoring of electrolyte levels and renal function is essential when administering this medication, making it a medication that should be considered carefully in such patients.

The other medications listed do not present the same immediate concerns in the context of heart failure. Glipizide, an oral hypoglycemic for diabetes, levofloxacin, an antibiotic, and potassium chloride, a potassium supplement, can all be utilized with consideration of the client's overall health status and specific contraindications but do not carry the same urgent considerations as diure

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