Which instruction should a nurse give to a client taking alendronate (Fosamax) for osteoporosis?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A.
Chew the tablet well and report any difficulty swallowing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
B.
Take the medication with six to eight ounces of milk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
C.
Lie down for 15 to 30 minutes after taking the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
D.
Take this medication at least 30 minutes before ingesting any food or medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Correct Answer and Explanation is:<\/mark><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The correct answer is:<\/p>\n\n\n\n D. Take this medication at least 30 minutes before ingesting any food or medication.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alendronate (Fosamax) is a bisphosphonate medication used primarily for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. It works by inhibiting osteoclast-mediated bone resorption, thus helping to increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. For alendronate to be effective and to minimize the risk of gastrointestinal side effects, it is essential to follow specific instructions regarding its administration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n **1. Timing and Food Interactions:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alendronate should be taken on an empty stomach, at least 30 minutes before consuming any food, drink (other than water), or other medications. This is crucial because food and beverages can significantly interfere with the absorption of alendronate, reducing its efficacy. If the medication is not taken as directed, the patient may not receive the full benefit of the drug.<\/p>\n\n\n\n **2. Positioning:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The patient should also remain upright (sitting or standing) for at least 30 minutes after taking alendronate. This positioning helps to prevent esophageal irritation and reduces the risk of gastroesophageal reflux. Lying down shortly after taking the medication can lead to irritation or inflammation of the esophagus, which is a common adverse effect of bisphosphonates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n **3. Milk and Other Beverages:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to take alendronate with plain water. Consuming it with milk or other beverages can impair its absorption. Therefore, the recommendation to take the medication with six to eight ounces of milk is incorrect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n **4. Chewing Tablets:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Alendronate tablets should not be chewed or crushed. They are designed to be swallowed whole to avoid damage to the esophagus and to ensure proper absorption. If the patient experiences difficulty swallowing, they should consult their healthcare provider for an alternative form of the medication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In summary, to ensure the effectiveness of alendronate and to minimize side effects, the correct administration involves taking the medication at least 30 minutes before any food or other medications and remaining upright during this time.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Which instruction should a nurse give to a client taking alendronate (Fosamax) for osteoporosis? A.Chew the tablet well and report any difficulty swallowing. B.Take the medication with six to eight ounces of milk. C.Lie down for 15 to 30 minutes after taking the medication. D.Take this medication at least 30 minutes before ingesting any food […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-136204","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-exams-certification"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=136204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/136204\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=136204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=136204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.learnexams.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=136204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Explanation:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n