Final answer:
The nurse should tell the patient that metoclopramide is prescribed before cisplatin to prevent or reduce nausea and vomiting, which are common side effects of chemotherapy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best response to the patient would be that metoclopramide is given to prevent or reduce the side effects caused by cisplatin. Metoclopramide is a medication that works as an antiemetic, which means it helps to prevent nausea and vomiting. These symptoms are common side effects of cancer treatments, including chemotherapy drugs like cisplatin. The reason for administering metoclopramide 30 minutes before cisplatin is to ensure it is active in the body to counteract the nausea and vomiting cisplatin could cause. This proactive measure is crucial because it improves the patient's comfort, potentially improves adherence to cancer treatment, and helps to prevent the development of anticipatory nausea and vomiting in future treatments.
Cisplatin is a powerful chemotherapy drug used particularly for treating tumors of the reproductive organs, which can be very effective but also have challenging side effects. By pairing it with metoclopramide, the goal is to reduce the impact of these side effects without affecting the efficacy of cisplatin in combating the cancer cells. It is important to clarify that metoclopramide does not increase the effectiveness of cisplatin itself; it is solely for mitigating side effects. Similarly, cisplatin does not impact the effectiveness of metoclopramide. The intent of metoclopramide administration is to support the patient through the cisplatin treatment by addressing the specific side effect of nausea and vomiting.