Question

Which laboratory value would the nurse assess before administering zafirlukast (Accolate) to a patient?

a. Liver enzymes
b Cardiac enzymes
c Renal function tests
d Complete blood count

Answer 1

Before administering zafirlukast (Accolate) to a patient, the nurse should assess liver enzymes through liver function tests (LFTs) to ensure the patient's liver can properly process the medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The nurse would assess the patient's liver enzymes before administering zafirlukast (Accolate). Zafirlukast is a medication that can affect liver function, therefore liver function tests (LFTs) are important to ensure the liver can handle the medication properly. These tests are critical as they check for the presence of liver enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the blood, which are indicative of the liver's health.

It is not typical to check renal function tests, cardiac enzymes, or a complete blood count (CBC) before administering zafirlukast, as these do not provide direct information about the liver's ability to process the medication. Instead, the focus is on ensuring there is no existing liver damage or dysfunction before starting treatment with zafirlukast as it could exacerbate liver problems.