A nurse is reviewing the laboratory values of a client who is taking atorvastatin. Which of the following laboratory values indicates the treatment has been effective?

The client has a negative sputum culture. This indicates that the client is adhering to the medication regimen because a negative sputum culture means that the client is no longer infectious and has cleared the tuberculosis bacteria from their lungs.

Choice A is wrong because testing negative for HIV does not indicate that the client is adhering to the medication regimen for tuberculosis. HIV testing is not related to tuberculosis treatment.

Choice C is wrong because having a positive purified protein derivative test does not indicate that the client is adhering to the medication regimen for tuberculosis.

A positive PPD test means that the client has been exposed to tuberculosis, but it does not indicate whether the client has an active or latent infection. Choice D is wrong because having liver function test results within the expected reference range does not indicate that the client is adhering to the medication regimen for tuberculosis.

Liver function tests are used to monitor for possible adverse effects of isoniazid and rifampin, which can cause hepatotoxicity, but they do not reflect the effectiveness of the treatment.

Metformin is a medication used to lower blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Metoprolol is a beta-blocker used to treat high blood pressure and heart problems. If the nurse accidentally gives metformin instead of metoprolol, the client may experience hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), which can cause symptoms such as sweating, shakiness, confusion, and loss of consciousness. Therefore, the nurse should check the client’s glucose level and treat hypoglycemia if needed.

Choice A is wrong because HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is a type of cholesterol that is not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Choice B is wrong because thyroid function levels are not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Choice C is wrong because uric acid level is not affected by metformin or metoprolol.

Uric acid is a waste product that can cause gout if it accumulates in the joints. Normal ranges for blood glucose are 70 to 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL two hours after meals.

Normal ranges for HDL are 40 to 60 mg/dL for men and 50 to 60 mg/dL for women.

Normal ranges for thyroid function levels vary depending on the specific test, but generally they are between 0.4 and 4.0 mIU/L for TSH (thyroid-stimulating hormone), 4.5 to 11.2 mcg/dL for T4 (thyroxine), and 80 to 180 ng/dL for T3 (triiodothyronine).

Normal ranges for uric acid are 3.4 to 7.0 mg/dL for men and 2.4 to 6.0 mg/dL for women.