A client with a history of heart failure is prescribed furosemide. Which assessment finding indicates the medication is effective?

Choice A reason: Limiting purine-rich foods (e.g., organ meats, shellfish) reduces uric acid production, preventing gout flares. Purines metabolize into uric acid, which forms joint crystals in gout. This dietary restriction is critical to manage symptoms and prevent painful exacerbations effectively.

Choice B reason: Increasing dairy may reduce gout risk by lowering uric acid, but it is secondary to purine restriction. Limiting purines directly decreases uric acid synthesis, addressing the primary cause of gout flares, making it the priority dietary recommendation.

Choice C reason: Restricting carbohydrates is irrelevant to gout, which results from uric acid accumulation. Purine-rich foods are the primary dietary trigger, as they increase uric acid. Limiting purines is the priority, as it directly prevents crystal formation and gout exacerbations.

Choice D reason: Encouraging red meat, high in purines, worsens gout by increasing uric acid production. Limiting purine-rich foods is critical, as it reduces uric acid and joint crystal formation, making red meat consumption counterproductive to effective gout management.

Choice A reason: Reducing dietary sodium lowers blood pressure in hypertension by decreasing vascular fluid volume and vasoconstriction. Sodium restriction (e.g., <2.3 g/day) reduces cardiac workload, preventing complications like heart failure, making it the priority lifestyle modification for effective blood pressure control.

Choice B reason: Increasing saturated fat consumption worsens hypertension by promoting atherosclerosis and vascular stiffness. Sodium reduction is critical, as it directly lowers blood volume and pressure, reducing cardiovascular risk, making it the priority over dietary fat adjustments in hypertension management.

Choice C reason: Limiting physical activity is incorrect, as exercise lowers blood pressure by improving vascular elasticity. Sodium reduction is the priority, as it directly reduces fluid retention and vasoconstriction, providing immediate blood pressure control, making it essential for hypertension management.

Choice D reason: Smoking cessation is beneficial but not the primary focus unless active smoking is confirmed. Sodium reduction directly lowers blood pressure by decreasing fluid volume, making it the priority lifestyle change, as it addresses hypertension’s core mechanism more effectively.