Question

A pregnant patient who has diabetes has been admitted to the hospital to begin labor. Since the patient has diabetes, the physician has decided to use oxytocin (Pitocin) to initiate labor contractions. When talking to the patient about the adverse effects of the drug, the nurse should understand that the most common adverse effects of the drug include________.

a) electrolyte imbalances.
b) water intoxication.
c) metabolic alkalosis.
d) uterine tachysystole.

Answer 1

The most common adverse effect of oxytocin (Pitocin) during labor induction is uterine tachysystole, which involves excessive uterine contractions.

Step-by-step explanation:

When talking to the patient about the adverse effects of oxytocin (Pitocin) used to initiate labor contractions, the nurse should understand that the most common adverse effect of the drug includes uterine tachysystole. Oxytocin, an endocrine hormone secreted by the pituitary gland, plays a critical role during childbirth to stimulate uterine contractions. In a positive feedback loop, as contractions increase, more oxytocin is released, which can potentially lead to excessive contractions, known as tachysystole. It is essential for healthcare providers to monitor the frequency and intensity of contractions to manage the risk of tachysystole during labor induction with oxytocin.