Question

A nurse is caring for a client who is about to begin taking epoetin. An increase in which of the following laboratory values should indicate to the nurse that the therapy is effective?

1) Hemoglobin level
2) Blood pressure
3) White blood cell count
4) Blood glucose level

Answer 1

An effective epoetin therapy is indicated by an increase in hemoglobin levels, as epoetin stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells, enhancing oxygen transport throughout the body.

Step-by-step explanation:

A nurse monitoring a client taking epoetin should expect an increase in hemoglobin levels as a sign of effective therapy. Epoetin, also known as erythropoietin (EPO), is a glycoprotein hormone that stimulates the bone marrow to produce red blood cells (RBCs) in response to low oxygen levels in the blood. By increasing RBC count, more oxygen can be delivered throughout the body, which is critical for patients with specific types of anemia.

When administered medically, epoetin enhances the RBC count and ultimately raises hemoglobin, which is the protein in RBCs responsible for carrying oxygen. An increase in hemoglobin level thus indicates that more RBCs are available for oxygen transport, signaling that the treatment is working. Nurses should monitor the other listed values as well, but they are not directly impacted by epoetin therapy.

Since RBCs are directly infused with increased oxygen carrying capacity, enhanced hemoglobin levels are the primary aim of epoetin treatment. While there are potential side effects, such as increased blood pressure due to higher RBC volumes, the targeted therapy outcome is heightened hemoglobin, not the elevation of blood pressure or changes in white blood cell count or blood glucose levels.