Question

Which of the following medications would the nurse need to instruct the patient to avoid taking with grapefruit juice?

Select one or more:
a. Metoprolol (Lopressor), a beta blocker
b. Lisinopril (Prinivil), an ACE inhibitor
c. Digoxin (Lanoxin), a cardiac glycoside
d. Nitroglycerin (Nitro-Stat), a nitrate
e. Atovastatin (Lipitor), a statin
f. Diltiazem (Cardiazem), a calcium channel blocker

Answer 1

Patients should avoid consuming grapefruit juice when taking Atorvastatin (Lipitor) and Diltiazem (Cardiazem) because the juice can increase drug concentrations and enhance effects, leading to potential side effects.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse needs to instruct the patient to avoid taking certain medications with grapefruit juice because of potential interactions. Grapefruit juice can alter the metabolism of some drugs, leading to increased levels in the bloodstream and potentially harmful side effects. Specifically, patients taking the following medications should be advised to avoid grapefruit juice:

• Atorvastatin (Lipitor), a statin medication, because grapefruit juice can increase the concentration of statins in the blood, possibly leading to muscle or liver problems.
• Diltiazem (Cardiazem), a calcium channel blocker, as grapefruit juice can enhance the effects of calcium channel blockers, increasing the risk of side effects such as low blood pressure or heart rate.

While the other medications listed, including Metoprolol (Lopressor), Lisinopril (Prinivil), Digoxin (Lanoxin), and Nitroglycerin (Nitro-Stat), are used to treat various cardiac issues, they are not typically associated with interactions with grapefruit juice.