Answer:
The nurse is educating a young adult client diagnosed with migraine headaches about prescribed intranasal sumatriptan for abortive therapy. Which statement made by the client establishes the need for further clarification?
“The onset of the drug is quick and it peaks in 90 minutes, so I will take it before lying down.”
“I will take my blood pressure after taking the drug and notify my prescriber if I become hypertensive.”
“The intranasal spray will cause irritation to my nose and throat and a bad taste in my mouth and nausea.”
“I will alternate the nostril used and administer two sprays in the nostril, and repeat in 2 hours if needed.”
Explanation:
Migraine is an intense form of headache that has two types. Migraine without aura, which can last for a few hours or up to 3 days. It presents symptoms such as nausea and discomfort when the eyes are exposed to light. Migraine with aura develops over a shorter period of time and may subsequently be followed by the symptoms of Migraine without aura.
Sumatriptan is an effective drug used to treat migraine attacks. Available in tablets that can be taken orally and as a nasal spray, it is more advisable to prescribe the nasal spray to patients who experience nausea. This allows them to take Sumatriptan without a risk of throwing up the drug.
It is therefore very important that the nurse addresses the concern of the client who thinks that the intranasal spray will cause irritation to her nose and throat and a bad taste in her mouth and nausea. Also, the nurse should point out that the drug is not absorbed in the nose or throat but in the stomach.
