Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 79%
Full-length
The nurse is caring for a client with type 2 diabetes mellitus who is receiving a thiazolidinedione. Which of the following findings would require immediate follow-up?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
Thiazolidinediones (eg, rosiglitazone, pioglitazone) are oral antidiabetic medications used to manage hyperglycemia in clients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Thiazolidinediones increase the sensitivity of insulin receptors, which improves insulin efficacy and prevents large rises in blood glucose after meals. It is a priority for the nurse to report signs of heart failure (eg, bilateral pitting edema, rapid weight gain, crackles) to the health care provider because thiazolidinediones can cause heart failure due to fluid retention. The client may require a lower thiazolidinedione dose or therapy with a different oral antidiabetic agent (eg, metformin).