Case Study 1

Mrs. Jones is a 68-year-old female who has been admitted to the hospital for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). She has a history of hypertension and dyslipidemia and is currently taking lisinopril and atorvastatin. Her symptoms include heartburn, chest pain, and difficulty swallowing. Her physician has prescribed omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI), to manage her GERD symptoms.

1. What are proton pump inhibitors?
2. What is the mechanism of action of PPIs?
3. What are the potential side effects of PPIs?
4. What should the nurse monitor for in Mrs. Jones while she is taking omeprazole?
5. How should the nurse instruct Mrs. Jones to take omeprazole?
6. What are some important drug interactions with omeprazole?
7. When should the nurse instruct Mrs. Jones to follow up with her health care provider?

Case Study 2

Mr. Lopez is a 45-year-old male who presents to the emergency department with complaints of severe diarrhea for the past 24 hours. He has been experiencing cramping, nausea, and frequent watery stools. He reports no recent travel or dietary changes. Upon further assessment, the health care provider diagnoses him with acute infectious diarrhea and prescribes loperamide to manage his symptoms.

1. What is loperamide?
2. What is the mechanism of action of loperamide?
3. What are the potential side effects of loperamide?
4. What should the nurse monitor for in Mr. Lopez while he is taking loperamide?
5. How should the nurse instruct Mr. Lopez to take loperamide?
6. What are some important drug interactions with loperamide?
7. When should the nurse instruct Mr. Lopez to follow up with his health care provider?

Note: Answers to the Case Studies can be found in the “Answer Key” sections at the end of the book.