Question

Nurse is providing discharge teaching to a patient who has a new prescription for furosemide BID. Nurse should include which of the following instructions in teaching? (Select all that apply.)

A) "Take the medication with a high-fat meal."
B) "Change positions slowly to prevent dizziness."
C) "Limit potassium-rich foods in your diet."
D) "Monitor for signs of fluid retention."

Answer 1

Patients taking furosemide should change positions slowly to prevent dizziness and monitor for signs of fluid retention. It is not necessary to take the medication with a high-fat meal, nor to limit potassium-rich foods.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse should include the following instructions in the teaching for a patient who has a new prescription for furosemide BID:

• Change positions slowly to prevent dizziness.
• Monitor for signs of fluid retention.

Regarding the instructions, it is not advised to take the medication with a high-fat meal; instead, taking it with food to reduce stomach upset is often recommended. Moreover, patients should not limit potassium-rich foods in their diet; in fact, they may need to consume more or consider supplements, because furosemide can cause potassium loss. Loop diuretics like furosemide work by inhibiting the reabsorption of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl-) ions in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, therefore increasing urination because the retention of these ions in the nephron leads to increased water loss through osmosis.