Graded Discussion 2.1: Medication Effects (Study Guide Case Study, p. 18) Greg Wilson, a 65-year-old man, is diagnosed with pneumonia. He has a history of congestive heart failure. His physician has ordered an antibiotic for the pneumonia and he takes digoxin every day. As the health care provider, which question would you ask first before administering his antibiotic? Why is the first dose of the antibiotic twice as much as the maintenance dose?
Which variables may slow his metabolism and excretion? You should submit your initial response to each discussion question by Wednesday at 11:59 pm (MT) each week. You are also required to respond to a peer and/or their instructor on one other day of the week.
LP2.1 Discussion: Medication Effects
As a health care provider we must ask the right questions especially before administrating any medication. In the case study for Greg Wilson, the first and most important question his health care provider should ask is “have you ever had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic?”
The reason for this question is imperative because it helps the provider to determine which antibiotic is best for him. If Greg Wilson has had a reaction before, the health care provider can avoid and more complications to Greg. Sometimes a provider will prescribe a prescription that will have instructions that instruct the patient to take two doses on the first dose, and after the first dose to take only one dose.
This form of administrating medication is known as the loading dose. The loading dose is when a patient takes the initial dose that is often the maximum dose and then continues taking the medication using a smaller dosage. The reason for using this method is to quickly elevate the level of the drug in the blood. The health care provider that is responsible for Greg Wilson’s prescription must also factor in other variables regarding the patient. The following variables must be known in order to administer the correct medication and dosage for it to be effective.
* Age – as we get older our metabolism and excretions become slower, which can cause effects on how the medication is absorbed and excreted. * Weight – many drug doses depend on the weight of a patient. In most cases the heavier the patient the higher the dosage. * Gender – Men and women have different factors that cause them to respond differently to medication. Some factors are pregnancy, ratio of fat per body mass differs in men and women, and hormone levels are also different in men and womanю
These factors are important because they all have some effect on how a patient’s body is going to react to the medication they were provided. The effectiveness and possible side effects of medication are all determined on many things, and it’s the health care provider’s responsibility to know a lot of important information about a patient in order to provide them the best care they can offer. Sources:
Essentials of Pharmacology for Health Occupations, Sixth Edition