Question

A patient who is taking antiretroviral medication to control human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection tells the nurse about feeling mildly depressed and anxious. Which additional information about the patient is most important to communicate to the health care provider?

a. The patient takes vitamin supplements and St. John's wort.
b. The patient recently experienced the death of a close friend.
c. The patient's blood pressure has increased to 152/88 mm Hg.
d. The patient expresses anxiety about whether the drugs are effective.

Answer 1

The critical information for the healthcare provider is that the patient is supplementing with St. John's wort, which can interfere with antiretroviral drugs and impact HIV treatment effectiveness.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most important information to communicate to the healthcare provider about a patient taking antiretroviral medication and feeling depressed and anxious is that the patient takes vitamin supplements and St. John's wort. St. John's wort is known to interact with many medications, including antiretroviral drugs, potentially reducing their effectiveness. This interaction can lead to an increase in viral load and decrease in CD4 T-cell count, thus undermining the management of the HIV infection.