A nurse is administering furosemide IV bolus to a client who has fluid volume excess.
The nurse should recognize which of the following findings as an indication that the medication has been effective?
A.
Weight loss.
B.
Decreased inflammation.
C.
Increased blood pressure.
D.
Decreased pain.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is:
A. Weight loss.
Explanation:
Furosemide is a potent loop diuretic used to treat fluid volume excess, such as in cases of congestive heart failure, renal impairment, or other conditions causing edema. It works by promoting the excretion of sodium and water through the kidneys, thereby reducing fluid overload in the body.
When administering furosemide, the effectiveness of the medication can be assessed by monitoring various indicators, and weight loss is a key sign of its effectiveness. Here’s why:
- Mechanism of Action: Furosemide acts on the ascending loop of Henle in the kidneys to inhibit sodium and chloride reabsorption. This inhibition leads to increased urine production, which helps to reduce the excess fluid in the body. As the body loses fluid, there is a corresponding decrease in the client’s total body weight.
- Monitoring Effectiveness: Weight loss is a direct and practical measure of fluid removal from the body. If the client experiences a decrease in body weight following the administration of furosemide, it typically indicates that the medication is effectively removing excess fluid.
- Other Findings: While decreased inflammation and decreased pain might be relevant in the broader context of a patient’s condition, they are not direct indicators of the effectiveness of furosemide. Decreased blood pressure might occur as a secondary effect of fluid reduction but is not a specific or immediate measure of the drug’s primary action.
Therefore, in the context of monitoring the effectiveness of furosemide, weight loss is the most direct and reliable indicator that the medication is performing as intended by addressing fluid volume excess.