When reinforcing teaching with a client who had a recent myocardial infarction and has a new prescription for low-dose aspirin therapy, the nurse should include the following instruction:
c. "Take the medication with a sip of water."
Taking the medication with a sip of water is the appropriate instruction for taking low-dose aspirin therapy. It is important to swallow the tablet whole and not chew it, as chewing can interfere with the enteric coating, which is designed to protect the stomach lining from the potential irritant effects of aspirin.
Option a, "Ibuprofen can decrease the effectiveness of this medication," is not relevant to low-dose aspirin therapy, but it is important information to provide if the client is taking other medications.
Option b, "Chew the enteric-coated tablet before swallowing," is incorrect because, as mentioned earlier, chewing the enteric-coated tablet can interfere with the intended release of the medication.
Option d, "Take the medication 1 hour before meals," is not specifically required for low-dose aspirin therapy. However, if the client is taking other medications, such as certain blood thinners, they may need to take those medications 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals. This should be clarified with the healthcare provider.
Therefore, the most appropriate instruction to include for a client on low-dose aspirin therapy after a recent myocardial infarction is to take the medication with a sip of water (option c).