The nurse explains the action of laxatives as doing what?

A) Milk:
Milk is not known to interact significantly with verapamil. Therefore, there's no need for the client to avoid consuming milk while taking this medication.

B) Orange juice:
Orange juice does not typically interact with verapamil. However, calcium-containing foods and beverages, including orange juice, may reduce the absorption of verapamil when taken simultaneously. While the interaction is not severe, it's advisable for clients to separate the administration of verapamil from calcium-rich foods and beverages to optimize absorption.

C) Grapefruit juice:
This is the correct answer. Grapefruit juice contains compounds that inhibit the activity of cytochrome P450 enzymes, particularly CYP3A4, which are involved in the metabolism of many medications, including verapamil. Consuming grapefruit juice while taking verapamil can lead to elevated blood levels of the medication, increasing the risk of side effects and toxicity. Therefore, clients should avoid grapefruit juice while on verapamil therapy.

D) Coffee:
Coffee does not typically interact with verapamil. However, caffeine-containing beverages like coffee may exacerbate certain side effects of verapamil, such as dizziness or palpitations, due to their stimulant effects. Clients may be advised to limit caffeine intake or consume coffee in moderation while taking verapamil.

A) Lifestyle modification, including exercise, diet, and decreased smoking and alcohol intake:
This statement is accurate. Lifestyle modifications are essential components of hypertension management and are recommended as the first step in treatment. These modifications include regular physical activity, adopting a heart-healthy diet such as the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet, reducing sodium intake, limiting alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking. These changes can help lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular events.

B) Use of diuretic, beta-blocker, or ACE inhibitor to supplement lifestyle changes:
This statement is also accurate. If lifestyle modifications alone are insufficient to achieve blood pressure control, pharmacotherapy may be initiated. The choice of antihypertensive medications depends on various factors, including the individual's comorbidities, medication tolerance, and response to treatment. Diuretics, beta-blockers, and ACE inhibitors are commonly used as first-line agents in the management of hypertension, either as monotherapy or in combination with other drugs.

C) All of the above:
This statement is correct. The stepped-care approach to hypertension management involves a combination of lifestyle modifications and pharmacotherapy. Lifestyle changes are typically recommended as the initial step, followed by the addition of antihypertensive medications if necessary to achieve target blood pressure goals. Therefore, both lifestyle modifications and pharmacological interventions are integral components of the stepped-care approach.

D) A combination of antihypertensive drug classes to achieve desired control:
While this statement is true, it does not encompass all aspects of the stepped-care approach. The use of combination therapy with multiple antihypertensive drug classes may be necessary in some cases to achieve optimal blood pressure control. However, it is only one component of the broader treatment strategy, which also includes lifestyle modifications as the foundation of therapy. Therefore, while combination therapy is important, it does not fully represent the stepped-care approach on its own.