Question

a nurse is teaching the family of a client who has a new diagnosis of alzheimer’s disease about donepezil. which of the following information should the nurse include?

• monitor for constipation.
• the dosage will be increased weekly to provide optimum therapeutic effect.
• administering the medication first thing in the morning promotes effectiveness.
• avoid the use of nsaids for pain.

Explanation:

To determine the correct information the nurse should include about donepezil (used for Alzheimer's disease), we analyze each option:

• "Monitor for constipation": Donepezil is a cholinesterase inhibitor. It increases acetylcholine, which can cause gastrointestinal side effects like diarrhea (not constipation). So this is incorrect.
• "The dosage will be increased weekly to provide optimum therapeutic effect": Donepezil dosing is typically titrated slowly, often with dosage increases at intervals (e.g., every 4 - 6 weeks) to minimize side effects, not weekly. So this is incorrect.
• "Administering the medication first thing in the morning promotes effectiveness": Donepezil can be taken at bedtime (often preferred due to potential for dizziness or fatigue) or in the morning. There's no evidence that morning administration specifically promotes effectiveness. So this is incorrect.
• "Avoid the use of NSAIDs for pain": Donepezil (and other cholinesterase inhibitors) can increase the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding when used with NSAIDs (which also increase GI bleeding risk). So avoiding NSAIDs is important. This is the correct information.

Answer:

The correct option is "Avoid the use of NSAIDs for pain." (The option with this text, likely the last one in the list of choices provided in the question.)