Question

The nurse is caring for a 55-year-old patient with Hashimoto's thyroiditis. During discharge teaching, which statement by the patient tells the nurse the patient understands the teaching?
"If I feel nauseated, I may take this drug with an antacid."
"I may use the generic brand if I can find it cheaper than the one prescribed."
"I should take this medication on an empty stomach in the morning."
"I can take this medication any time of day."

Answer 1

The correct answer is C. "I should take this medication on an empty stomach in the morning."

Explanation:

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is a disease in which the body acts against the thyroid gland that produces important hormones for the body. Due to this, in many cases, the Hashimoto's thyroiditis causes hypothyroidism or low production of thyroid hormones. To treat this, most doctors prescript a replacement for these hormones through a drug known as levothyroxine.

One of the most important factors for the drug to work and regulate hormone levels is that it is taken on an empty stomach in the morning around an hour before breakfast. Due to this, the statement that shows a patient with this disease understand the teaching is "I should take this medication on an empty stomach in the morning".