Question

Following a cardiac catheterization and placement of a stent in the right coronary artery, the nurse administers prasugrel, a platelet inhibitor, to the client. To monitor for adverse effects from the medication, which assessment is most important for the nurse to include in this client's plan of care?

A. observe color of urine
B. Measure body temperature
C. Assess skin turgor
D. Check for pedal edema

Answer 1

The most important assessment for a nurse to monitor for adverse effects of prasugrel is to observe the color of urine, as one of the main side effects of prasugrel is increased risk of bleeding which can be detected by the presence of blood in the urine.

Step-by-step explanation:

After a cardiac catheterization and the placement of a stent in the right coronary artery, a nurse administering prasugrel, a platelet inhibitor, must monitor for adverse effects. Among the options given, the most important assessment to include in the client's plan of care to monitor for adverse effects of prasugrel is to observe the color of urine.

Prasugrel is an antiplatelet medication used in combination with aspirin to prevent thrombotic events, especially in patients with stents. This combination is known as dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). The main adverse effect of antiplatelet medications like prasugrel is an increased risk of bleeding, which can be identified through the presence of blood in the urine (hematuria). Therefore, observing the color of the urine is essential for early detection of this adverse effect. Monitoring for signs of pedal edema, assessing skin turgor, or measuring body temperature, while useful for other conditions, are not as directly relevant to the assessment of bleeding risk associated with prasugrel.