A nurse is reviewing the results of a functional status assessment for an older adult client using the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living (ADLs). The nurse notes that the client scored 4 out of 6 on this tool.

What does this score indicate?

The correct answer is A.

Adverse drug reactions.

Polypharmacy, which refers to the effects of taking multiple medications concurrently to manage coexisting health problems, is common among older adults.

It is defined as the regular use of at least five medications.

Polypharmacy can lead to an increase in geriatric syndromes, decrease in functional outcomes, and increased mortality.

One of the major risks of polypharmacy is adverse drug reactions, which are harmful or unintended effects of a medication that occur at normal doses.

Adverse drug reactions can result from drug-drug interactions, drug-disease interactions, drug-age interactions, or inappropriate prescribing.

Adverse drug reactions can cause symptoms such as confusion, dizziness, falls, bleeding, or organ damage.

They can also lead to hospitalizations, increased health care costs, and reduced quality of life.

Choice B is wrong because medication adherence, which is the extent to which patients take medications as prescribed by their health care providers, can actually decrease with polypharmacy.

This is because taking multiple medications can be complex, costly, and burdensome for older adults, especially if they have cognitive impairment or low health literacy.

Medication adherence can also be influenced by patients’ beliefs, preferences, and expectations about their medications.

Choice C is wrong because drug-drug interactions are not a risk of polypharmacy per se, but rather a cause of adverse drug reactions.

Drug-drug interactions occur when two or more drugs affect each other’s pharmacokinetics (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion) or pharmacodynamics (mechanism of action, efficacy, toxicity).

Drug-drug interactions can alter the therapeutic effects or safety of a medication.

Choice D is wrong because therapeutic effects are the intended or desired effects of a medication that benefit the patient’s health condition.

Therapeutic effects can decrease with polypharmacy due to drug-drug interactions that reduce the efficacy of a medication.

Therapeutic effects can also be diminished by prescribing cascade, which is a phenomenon where a new medication is prescribed to treat a symptom that is actually an adverse drug reaction of another medication.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are.

≤120/80.

mmHg for normal,.

120−129/80.

mmHg for elevated,.

130−139/80−89.

mmHg for stage 1 hypertension, and.

≥140/90.

mmHg for stage 2 hypertension.

The correct answer is D.

“Social interaction can help me avoid stress and anxiety.” This statement indicates a need for further teaching because social interaction does not necessarily help older adults avoid stress and anxiety.

In fact, some social situations may cause or increase stress and anxiety for some people, especially if they are negative, unpleasant, or conflictual.

Therefore, the nurse should explain to the client that social interaction can help them cope with stress and anxiety, but not avoid them altogether.

Choice A is correct because social interaction can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels by reducing the effects of stress hormones and promoting physical activity.

Choice B is correct because social interaction can help boost the immune system by enhancing positive emotions, increasing antibody production, and reducing inflammation.

Choice C is correct because social interaction can help improve memory and learning ability by stimulating brain regions involved in cognition, communication, and social perception.

Normal ranges for blood pressure are less than 120/80 mmHg for adults, and normal ranges for cholesterol are less than 200 mg/dL for total cholesterol, less than 100 mg/dL for LDL cholesterol, and more than 40 mg/dL for HDL cholesterol.