Question

A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has AIDS and is taking amphotericin B for fungal infection. The nurse should identify that which of the following values is an indication of an adverse effect of the medication?

a) Hypokalemia
b) Hypophosphatemia
c) Hypomagnesemia
d) Hypocalcemia

Answer 1

The nurse should recognize hypokalemia as an adverse effect of amphotericin B, a medication used to treat fungal infections in clients with AIDS.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has AIDS and is taking amphotericin B for a fungal infection should identify that hypokalemia is an indication of an adverse effect of the medication. Amphotericin B, a broad-spectrum antifungal drug, targets fungal cell membranes but can also affect host cells, leading to side effects. One notable side effect is hypokalemia, which is an abnormally decreased blood level of potassium. The nurse should be vigilant for laboratory values indicating hypokalemia in patients being treated with amphotericin B for fungal infections such as cryptococcal infections, especially prevalent among individuals with compromised immune systems, like those with AIDS.