A nurse is assessing a client who has hypertension and has started taking lisinopril. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider immediately?
A.
Nausea
B.
Dry cough
C.
Eyelid edema
D.
Insomnia
The correct answer and Explanation is :
The correct answer is C. Eyelid edema.
Explanation:
Lisinopril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor commonly used to treat hypertension. While lisinopril is generally well-tolerated, it can cause side effects. Among these, eyelid edema, which indicates swelling around the eyes, is a significant concern.
Eyelid edema can be a sign of angioedema, a serious and potentially life-threatening reaction that can occur with ACE inhibitors like lisinopril. Angioedema involves rapid swelling of deeper layers of the skin and can affect the face, lips, tongue, and throat. This condition can lead to airway obstruction, making it critical to identify and address it promptly.
Here’s why the other options are less urgent:
- Nausea (Option A): While nausea can be a side effect of lisinopril, it is generally not considered an immediate medical emergency. Nausea might require management or dose adjustment, but it does not pose an immediate threat to the client’s well-being like angioedema does.
- Dry cough (Option B): A persistent dry cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors, including lisinopril. Although bothersome, it is not typically an emergency. The cough might lead to discontinuation of the medication or a switch to another class of antihypertensive agents, but it does not generally require immediate intervention.
- Insomnia (Option D): Insomnia is not commonly linked directly to lisinopril and, while it can affect the client’s quality of life, it is not an urgent concern requiring immediate reporting to the provider.
In summary, eyelid edema should be reported immediately because it could indicate angioedema, which requires urgent evaluation and treatment to prevent serious complications.