Question

The nurse is providing teaching to a client with a gastric ulcer and a new prescription for ranitidine. What instruction should the nurse include?

a. Take the medication on an empty stomach.
b. Crush the medication and mix with food.
c. Avoid concurrent use of antacids.
d. Discontinue the medication if symptoms improve.

Answer 1

The correct instruction for a patient with a gastric ulcer taking ranitidine is to avoid concurrent use of antacids to prevent interference with the drug's effectiveness.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nurse is providing teaching to a client with a gastric ulcer who has a new prescription for ranitidine, an important instruction to include would be to avoid concurrent use of antacids. Ranitidine is a medication that belongs to a class of drugs known as H₂ blockers, which work by decreasing the amount of acid made in the stomach, thereby treating conditions such as ulcers, GERD, and Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. Antacids, on the other hand, neutralize existing stomach acid and may interfere with the effectiveness of ranitidine. Therefore, it's recommended to separate the administration of ranitidine and antacids by at least 1 to 2 hours. Answering the student's question directly: (c) Avoid concurrent use of antacids is the correct instruction to be followed by the client.