Question

The nurse in a psychiatric inpatient unit is caring for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder. As part of the client's treatment, the psychiatrist orders lorazepam (Ativan), 1 mg by mouth three times per day. During lorazepam therapy, the nurse should remind the client to:

1. avoid caffeine.
2. avoid aged cheeses.
3. stay out of the sun.
4. maintain an adequate salt intake.

Answer 1

When taking lorazepam (Ativan), a benzodiazepine, the client should be reminded to avoid caffeine. Caffeine may reduce the effectiveness of lorazepam by countering its sedative effects and could increase anxiety. Lorazepam is a CNS depressant, effectively used for short-term anxiety symptom management.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse in a psychiatric inpatient unit caring for a client with obsessive-compulsive disorder and prescribed lorazepam (Ativan) should remind the client to avoid caffeine. Lorazepam is a short-acting benzodiazepine, which is used to help manage symptoms of anxiety, including sedation and reducing anxiety. Caffeine can interfere with the calming effect of lorazepam by increasing alertness and possibly exacerbating anxiety symptoms. Therefore, clients taking lorazepam are often advised against consuming caffeine to ensure the medication's efficacy.

Benzodiazepines like lorazepam are central nervous system depressants, which can also be used to prevent seizures, induce sleep, and relax muscles. It’s important for clients to understand the interaction of benzodiazepines with other substances to prevent adverse effects. In contrast, substances like aged cheeses, which are generally to be avoided with certain antidepressants like MAOIs, do not pose the same interaction risks with lorazepam. Similarly, maintaining an adequate salt intake and staying out of the sun are not specific cautions that pertain to the use of lorazepam.