Final answer:
Tegretol is used to manage seizures and certain types of nerve pain, not hypertension. Regular monitoring of carbamazepine serum levels and blood counts is necessary due to potential side effects; additionally, patients should take precautions against sun exposure due to increased skin sensitivity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Tegretol, also known by its generic name carbamazepine, is a medication primarily used in the treatment of seizure disorders, including epilepsy, as well as certain types of nerve pain such as trigeminal neuralgia. It is important to note that:
- Tegretol is not used to treat hypertension; instead, it's utilized for its anticonvulsant and analgesic effects.
- It's crucial to regularly check serum levels; however, instead of checking for lithium (which is another medication), carbamazepine levels should be monitored, as well as liver function tests and complete blood counts due to the risk of side effects such as bone marrow suppression.
- Patients taking Tegretol might experience low blood pressure or hypotension as a side effect, so it's important to monitor blood pressure levels.
- To prevent adverse reactions, it is advised to minimize sun exposure and to use sunscreen since Tegretol can make the skin more sensitive to sunlight, increasing the risk of sunburn.
Therefore, statement b is incorrect regarding serum lithium, and statement a is incorrect, as Tegretol does not treat hypertension. Statement c accurately states a potential risk, and statement d provides correct preventative guidance for those taking Tegretol.
In the context of administering anticonvulsants such as diazepam, these are typically reserved for emergency treatment of acute seizures rather than long-term management, which is where Tegretol would be used.