After taking orlistat for one week, a female client tells the home health nurse that she is experiencing increasingly frequent faty stools and flatus. Which action should the nurse take?
A Advise the client to stop taking the drug and contact the healthcare provider.
B Ask the client to describe her dietary intake history for the last several days.
C Instruct the to increase her intake of saturated fats over the next week.
D Obtain a stool to evaluate occult blood and fat content.
E Obtain a stool to evaluate occult blood and fat content.
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct action for the nurse to take in this situation is:
B: Ask the client to describe her dietary intake history for the last several days.
Explanation:
Orlistat is a weight-loss medication that works by inhibiting the absorption of fats from the diet, which means that fats are not absorbed and are instead excreted in the stool. This mechanism can lead to side effects such as fatty stools (steatorrhea) and increased flatulence, especially if the client consumes a high-fat diet.
When a client reports symptoms like frequent fatty stools and increased flatulence after starting orlistat, it’s essential to first assess their dietary intake. Orlistat is intended to be used in conjunction with a reduced-fat diet. If the client continues to consume a high-fat diet, they are likely to experience more severe gastrointestinal side effects. By asking the client to describe her dietary intake, the nurse can determine whether her fat consumption exceeds the recommended levels and provide guidance on adjusting her diet to reduce these side effects.
Here’s a brief outline of why the other options are less appropriate:
- A: Advise the client to stop taking the drug and contact the healthcare provider. While orlistat might need to be discontinued in some cases, this action is premature without first evaluating dietary habits. Side effects like fatty stools are expected when taking orlistat, and dietary adjustments are often a first-line approach.
- C: Instruct the client to increase her intake of saturated fats over the next week. This recommendation is counterproductive. Increasing saturated fats would likely exacerbate the symptoms, as orlistat would prevent the absorption of these fats, leading to more severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
- D: Obtain a stool to evaluate occult blood and fat content. While this might be useful in certain cases, it is not the immediate priority. The more pressing issue is the client’s dietary intake. Evaluating stools for fat content and occult blood might be more relevant if there are additional symptoms suggesting more serious issues.
By initially focusing on the client’s dietary history, the nurse can address the most common cause of these symptoms and help the client manage them effectively.