Question

A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for finasteride to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include in the teaching?

A: "You might need to take the medication for several months before seeing any relief."
B: "This medication will cause an increase in your libido."
C: "You might experience prolonged erections while taking this medication.
"D: "This medication will elevate your blood pressure."

Answer 1

Finasteride requires several months of treatment before relief from symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia may be noticed; it does not generally increase libido or blood pressure, but may cause sexual side effects and depression.

Step-by-step explanation:

When teaching a client with a new prescription for finasteride to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), it's important to manage expectations accurately and describe potential side effects. The correct instruction to include in the teaching would be:

A: "You might need to take the medication for several months before seeing any relief."

Finasteride can improve symptoms of BPH, but it often requires a prolonged period of treatment before significant improvements are observed. On the contrary, finasteride is not known to cause an increase in libido or prolonged erections, and it does not typically elevate blood pressure. In fact, some of the side effects associated with finasteride include potential sexual dysfunction, such as erectile dysfunction, and sometimes even emotional side effects like depression.