A nurse is caring for a client who is prescribed lidocaine for the treatment of arrhythmias. Which of the following should the nurse monitor for as an adverse effect of this medication?

Amiodarone is a medication used to treat irregular heartbeats, but it can cause various adverse effects, such as:

• Photosensitivity, which means increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight and risk of sunburn.

This can be prevented by wearing protective clothing and sunscreen when outdoors.

• Pulmonary toxicity, which means damage to the lungs that can cause inflammation, scarring, or difficulty breathing.

This can be fatal in some cases and requires regular monitoring of chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests.

• Thyroid dysfunction, which means abnormal levels of thyroid hormones that can affect metabolism, energy, and mood.

This can be either hypothyroidism (low thyroid hormone) or hyperthyroidism (high thyroid hormone) and requires regular monitoring of thyroid function tests.

Choice A and B are wrong because amiodarone can causebradycardia(slow heartbeat) andhypotension(low blood pressure), not the opposite.

These effects can be serious and require close monitoring of heart rate and blood pressure.

Quinidine is an antiarrhythmic medication that can cause hypokalemia (low potassium levels) as an adverse effect. Potassium is an electrolyte that is important for the normal functioning of the heart and muscles.Hypokalemia can cause arrhythmias, muscle weakness, cramps, and fatigue.

Choice A is wrong because quinidine does not cause hypertension (high blood pressure).In fact, quinidine can lower blood pressure by dilating blood vessels and reducing the force of heart contractions.Normal blood pressure ranges are less than 120/80 mm Hg for systolic and diastolic pressures, respectively.

Choice B is wrong because quinidine does not cause hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels).Quinidine does not affect insulin secretion or glucose metabolism.Normal blood glucose ranges are 70 to 99 mg/dL (3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L) before meals and less than 140 mg/dL (7.8 mmol/L) two hours after meals.

Choice D is wrong because quinidine does not cause hypernatremia (high sodium levels).Quinidine does not affect sodium balance or excretion. Sodium is another electrolyte that is important for fluid balance, nerve impulses, and muscle contractions.Hypernatremia can cause thirst, confusion, seizures, and coma.Normal sodium ranges are 135 to 145 mEq/L (135 to 145 mmol/L).