Chapter 47 Lipid-Lowering Agents
A patient who is receiving cholestyramine also takes digoxin. The nurse teaches the patient about drug administration. The patient demonstrates understanding of the teaching when he makes what statement?
"I will take the digoxin about an hour before the cholestyramine."
What factors would the nurse anticipate assessing in the patient diagnosed with metabolic syndrome?
-Abdominal fat -High triglycerides -Hypertension
When reviewing the patient's admission order, what order would the nurse not need to question?
Administer ezetimibe (Zetia) 10 mg P.O. daily and atorvastatin (Lipitor) 20 mg P.O. daily.
The patient undergoing medication therapy to treat hyperlipidemia reports she just found out she is pregnant. What drug would be safe for the patient to continue while pregnant?
Bile acid sequestrant
When describing the action of atorvastatin, the nurse includes what important descriptor?
Blocking the enzyme that is involved in cholesterol synthesis.
A patient with atrial fibrillation is receiving warfarin therapy. The patient is also prescribed ezetimibe. The nurse would instruct the patient to watch for what?
Blood in urine or stool
What does the nurse described as a carrier for small units of fats?
Chylomicrons
What adverse effects would a nurse assess for in a patient taking ezetimibe?
Mild abdominal pain
When administering a lipid-lowering agent, the nurse would anticipate administering the drug by which route?
Oral
The nurse, teaching a class on healthy lifestyle choices, explains that elevated HDL levels are beneficial because of what action?
Pick up remnants of fat and cholesterol left in the periphery by LDL breakdown.
After teaching a group of students about metabolic syndrome, the instructor determines that the teaching was successful when the students identify what characteristic?
Triglyceride level about 150 mg/dL
The nurse teaches the patient to mix cholestyramine with what liquids?
-Cereals -Fruit juices -Water -Soups
After reviewing the various agents used to lower lipid levels, the students demonstrate understanding of the information when they identify which agents as stimulating the breakdown of lipoproteins from the tissues and their removal from the plasma?
-Fenofibrate -Gemifibrozil
The nurse is teaching a patient about fenofibric acid. What adverse effects would the nurse discuss in the teaching plan?
-Runny Rose -Respirator infections
A patient is receiving atorvastatin. The nurse would anticipate that the maximum effectiveness of the drug would occur within which time frame?
1 to 2 hours
Place the steps in metabolism of fat in order of occurrence.
1. Fats broken down to fatty acids, lipids, and cholesterol. 2. Micelles 3. Chylomicrons 4. Lymphatic system 5. Enter circulation 6. Used as energy or stored as fat, or to liver
The nurse admits a patient who has been taking bile acid sequestrants for the past year in order to control serum lipid levels and reduce risk for CAD. What assessment would the nurse perform related to the most common side effects of these drugs?
Assess abdomen for distention and bowel sounds.
The obese patient is told that his lipid levels are elevated. What is the first intervention the nurse will anticipate the provider will order?
Dietary change and exercise
The nurse instructs a patient to take his prescribed simvastatin at bedtime to promote what?
Enhanced drug effectiveness
Which agent would a nurse identify as a cholesterol absorption inhibitor?
Ezetimibe
What LDL-lowering medication would the nurse identify as inhibiting triglyceride synthesis in the liver?
Fenofibrate
The nurse assesses the patient's laboratory results and identifies which one as being elevated?
LDL cholesterol of 180 mg/dL
Bile acids act like a detergent in the small intestine, breaking up fats into small units called what?
Micelles
The nurse is caring for an obese male patient with a family history of coronary artery who had a myocardial infarction at age 40. What risk factor can the patient modify?
Obesity
The nurse monitors the patient for what common side effect when taking colestipol?
Vitamin A deficiency