Editing Pharmacology – LPN Practice Questions (section)

==Question 6==
The nurse is teaching a client who is starting alendronate for osteoporosis. Which instruction is correct?
# "Take it at bedtime with a snack."
# "Take it in the morning with a full glass of plain water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes."
# "Crush the tablet and mix it with applesauce."
# "Take it with your morning coffee and calcium supplement."

'''Answer:''' 2 (B) "Take it in the morning with a full glass of plain water and stay upright for at least 30 minutes."

''Rationale:'' Bisphosphonates can cause severe esophageal irritation and ulceration, so the client takes the tablet on an empty stomach with 6 to 8 ounces of plain water, remains upright for at least 30 minutes, and takes nothing else by mouth during that period. Options 1, 3, and 4 all increase esophageal risk or interfere with absorption; coffee, food, and calcium substantially reduce absorption.