Question

A nurse is teaching a client who has hypothyroidism about taking levothyroxine. Which of the following statements should the nurse make?

A: "You'll need to take this medication once a day at bedtime."
B: "This medication causes adverse effects if the dosage is too high or too low."
C: "Continuing this medication therapy long-term will eventually cure your hypothyroidism."
D: "Potassium supplements can reduce the effectiveness of this medication."

Answer 1

The correct answer is that levothyroxine can cause adverse effects if the dosage is too high or too low, and dosage adjustments are necessary. Hypothyroidism treatment with levothyroxine is typically lifelong, especially for conditions like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, but not all thyroid disorders require permanent medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct statement that a nurse should make when teaching a client who has hypothyroidism about taking levothyroxine is: "This medication causes adverse effects if the dosage is too high or too low." It's crucial to monitor and adjust the dosage as needed because levothyroxine is a synthetic form of thyroid hormone used to treat hypothyroidism, and imbalanced dosage can lead to serious health issues. Hypothyroidism treatment with levothyroxine is usually a lifelong therapy, and the goal is to supply the body with adequate levels of thyroid hormone, which is essential for regulating metabolism and other bodily functions.

Hypothyroidism can be due to various causes, such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis, thyroid gland removal, iodine deficiency, or pituitary/hypothalamus disease. In cases such as Hashimoto's thyroiditis or after the thyroid gland has been removed, patients need to take thyroid hormone replacement therapy for life. This contrasts with the myth that all thyroid disorders require lifelong medication; some cases, like hypothyroidism during pregnancy, may resolve after pregnancy and not require long-term treatment.