Question

A nurse is caring for a client who has hyperthyroidism and has been taking methimazole. Which of the following laboratory findings should indicate to the nurse that the medication has had a therapeutic effect?

A) decreased blood glucose level
B) increased Hgb
C) increased platelets
D) decreased T4

Answer 1

The nurse should look for d. decreased T4 levels to indicate that methimazole has had a therapeutic effect for a client with hyperthyroidism, as this medication is used to reduce the excessive thyroid hormone production characteristic of this condition.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse caring for a client with hyperthyroidism who has been taking methimazole would expect a decreased T4 level to indicate a therapeutic effect of the medication. Methimazole is used to reduce the overproduction of thyroid hormones. In hyperthyroidism, the thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3), leading to increased basal metabolic rates. The decrease in T4 would demonstrate that the methimazole is effectively reducing the excessive thyroid hormone production, thereby aiming to normalize metabolic functions.

Other options such as decreased blood glucose levels, increased hemoglobin (Hgb), and increased platelets are not direct indicators of methimazole's effectiveness in treating hyperthyroidism. Therefore, the correct answer is decreased T4 levels, as it shows that the thyroid's excess hormone production, which is a key feature of hyperthyroidism, is being managed.