Question

a nurse is caring for a client who is about to begin receiving acyclovir iv to treat a viral infection. the nurse should recognize that cautious use of the medication is essential if the client also has which of the following conditions?

• heart failure
• dehydration
• asthma
• tinnitus

Explanation:

Acyclovir is mainly excreted by the kidneys. Dehydration can lead to reduced renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate. This increases the risk of acyclovir crystallizing in the renal tubules, causing kidney damage. Heart failure mainly affects cardiac output and fluid balance in a different way not directly related to the specific risk mechanism of acyclovir like dehydration. Asthma is a respiratory condition and tinnitus is a hearing - related symptom, neither of which have a direct impact on the renal handling of acyclovir in the same critical way as dehydration.

Answer:

Dehydration