Final answer:
The nurse should ensure that the patient does not take potassium supplements when prescribed spironolactone, as it is a potassium-sparing diuretic that could increase blood potassium levels. Spironolactone's mechanism includes blocking aldosterone's effects, which conserves potassium while reducing sodium and water retention in the body.
Step-by-step explanation:
A patient with Stage C heart failure (HF) who is taking an ACE inhibitor, a beta blocker, and a diuretic, and begins to have increased dyspnea, weight gain, and decreased urine output is prescribed spironolactone (Aldactone). The appropriate action for the nurse to ensure is that the patient: a. does not take potassium supplements. This is because spironolactone is a potassium-sparing diuretic that can increase potassium levels in the blood, risking hyperkalemia if potassium supplements are also taken.
Loop diuretics, such as furosemide (Lasix), are frequently used in the treatment of conditions like hypertension and congestive heart failure due to their ability to inhibit the reabsorption of Na+ and Cl- in the ascending limb of the loop of Henle, resulting in increased urination and decreased water conservation by the body.
Spironolactone acts by blocking the effects of aldosterone, which normally increases the excretion of potassium and reabsorption of sodium. This helps to reduce fluid retention in patients with heart failure without excreting too much potassium.