A nurse is caring for a client who has been taking epoetin alfa for 3 months.
Which of the following laboratory tests should the nurse monitor to determine the effectiveness of the medication?

Choice A rationale:

Fluoxetine is an antidepressant. While some antidepressants are used for chronic pain management, fluoxetine is not typically used for this purpose.

Choice B rationale:

Methylphenidate is a stimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and is not used for pain management.

Choice C rationale:

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine used for treating anxiety, seizures, and insomnia. It is not typically used for managing neuralgia pain.

Choice D rationale:

Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant that is commonly used to manage trigeminal neuralgia. It helps to reduce nerve impulses that cause pain.

Choice A rationale:

Atenolol is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and heart-related conditions. It’s not used in the treatment of alcohol use disorder.

Choice B rationale:

Lorazepam is a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety disorders. It can be used in the acute management of alcohol withdrawal, but it doesn’t assist in maintaining abstinence.

Choice C rationale:

Disulfiram is a medication used to support the treatment of chronic alcoholism by producing an acute sensitivity to ethanol (drinking alcohol) If alcohol is consumed when a patient has received disulfiram treatment, they suffer from a disulfiram-alcohol reaction, which can include symptoms like flushing, nausea, vomiting, and headaches. This aversive effect aids in discouraging the consumption of alcohol.

Choice D rationale:

Carbamazepine is an anticonvulsant and mood stabilizer medication used primarily in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder, not for alcohol use disorder.