Question

a nurse is speaking to a client who is taking sertraline and reports drinking grapefruit juice. the nurse explains that grapefruit juice inhibits an enzyme in the liver that is used to metabolize sertraline. the nurse should recognize the client’s risk for which of the following?

• reduced medication absorption
• medication dependence
• altered medication distribution
• medication toxicity

Explanation:

1. Analyze each option:

• Reduced medication absorption: Grapefruit juice inhibiting liver enzyme for metabolism doesn't directly relate to absorption (absorption is about getting into bloodstream, metabolism is about breakdown).
• Medication dependence: Dependence is about psychological/physical need for drug, not related to enzyme inhibition.
• Altered medication distribution: Distribution is about drug moving to tissues, enzyme inhibition affects metabolism, not distribution.
• Medication toxicity: If the liver enzyme that metabolizes sertraline is inhibited, the drug won't be broken down as much, leading to higher drug levels in the body, which can cause toxicity.

Answer:

Medication toxicity