NURS 6521 Module 3: Week 4 Assignment

Pt case

Patient HL comes into the clinic with the following symptoms: nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. The patient has a history of drug abuse and possible Hepatitis C. HL is currently taking the following prescription drugs:

Synthroid 100 mcg daily
Nifedipine 30 mg daily
Prednisone 10 mg daily

This week the topic is gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders. There is a one-page paper. Please make sure to look at the rubric before writing your paper and after to make sure all required topics are addressed. explain your diagnosis, describe an appropriate drug therapy plan including doses, and justify why you would recommend this drug therapy plan.

PHARMACOTHERAPY FOR GASTROINTESTINAL AND HEPATOBILIARY DISORDER

Gastrointestinal (GI) and hepatobiliary disorders affect the structure and function of the GI tract. Many of these disorders often have similar symptoms, such as abdominal pain, cramping, constipation, nausea, bloating, and fatigue. Since multiple disorders can be tied to the same symptoms, it is important for advanced practice nurses to carefully evaluate patients and prescribe a treatment that targets the cause rather than the symptom.

Once the underlying cause is identified, an appropriate drug therapy plan can be recommended based on medical history and individual patient factors. In this Assignment, you examine a case study of a patient who presents with symptoms of a possible GI/hepatobiliary disorder, and you design an appropriate drug therapy plan.

To Prepare:

Review the case study assigned by your Instructor for this Assignment
Reflect on the patient’s symptoms, medical history, and drugs currently
Think about a possible diagnosis for the Consider whether the patient has a disorder related to the gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary system or whether the symptoms are the result of a disorder from another system or other factors, such as pregnancy, drugs, or a psychological disorder.
Consider an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.

Write a 1-page paper that addresses the following:

Explain your diagnosis for the patient, including your rationale for the diagnosis.
Describe an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.
Justify why you would recommend this drug therapy plan for this patient. Be specific and provide

Reminder: The College of Nursing requires that all papers submitted include a title page, introduction, summary, and references. The Sample Paper provided at the Walden Writing Center offers an example of those required elements (available at http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/57.htmLinks to an external site.). All papers submitted must use this formatting.

Before submitting your final assignment, check Turnitin Drafts for authenticity.

Required Reading

Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants(2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
- Chapter 64, “Drugs for Peptic Ulcer Disease” (pp. 589–597)
- Chapter 65, “Laxatives” (pp. 598–604)
- Chapter 66, “Other Gastrointestinal Drugs” (pp. 605–616)
- Chapter 80, “Antiviral Agents I: Drugs for Non-HIV Viral Infections” (pp. 723–743)
Chalasani, N., Younossi, Z., Lavine, J. E., Charlton, M., Cusi, K., Rinella, M., . . . Sanya, A. J. (2018). The diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Practice guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver DiseasesLinks to an external site.. Hepatology, 67(1), 328–357. Retrieved from https://aasldpubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/hep.29367

This article details the diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Review this article to gain an understanding of the underlying pathophysiology as well as the suggested pharmacotherapeutics that might be recommended to treat this disorder.

References not accepted include

Course Textbook

WebMD

MayoClinic

ClevelendClinic,org

Kidsmart.org

Rubric

Criteria	Ratings
This criterion is linked to a Learning OutcomeExplain your diagnosis for the patient, including your rationale for the diagnosis.	25 to >22.25 pts Excellent The response accurately and clearly explains in detail the diagnosis for the patient, including an accurate and thorough rationale for the diagnosis that supports clinical judgment.
Describe an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.	30 to >26.7 pts Excellent The response accurately and completely describes in detail an appropriate drug therapy plan based on the patient’s history, diagnosis, and drugs currently prescribed.
Justify why you would recommend this drug therapy plan for this patient. Be specific and provide examples.	30 to >26.7 pts Excellent The response provides an accurate, clear, and detailed justification for the recommended drug therapy plan for this patient. … The response includes specific, accurate, and detailed examples that fully support the justification provided.
Written Expression and Formatting – Paragraph Development and Organization: Paragraphs make clear points that support well developed ideas, flow logically, and demonstrate continuity of ideas. Sentences are carefully focused–neither long and rambling nor short and lacking substance.	5 to >4.45 pts Excellent Paragraphs and sentences follow writing standards for flow, continuity, and clarity.
Written Expression and Formatting – English writing standards: Correct grammar, mechanics, and proper punctuation	5 to >4.45 pts Excellent Uses correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation with no errors
Written Expression and Formatting – The paper follows correct APA format for title page, headings, font, spacing, margins, indentations, page numbers, running head, parenthetical/in-text citations, and reference list.	5 to >4.45 pts Excellent Uses correct APA format with no errors

ORDER A CUSTOM-WRITTEN PAPER HERE

Pharmacotherapy for Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary Disorder

Gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary disorders present with various symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea (Rosenthal & Burchum, 2021). This paper aims to diagnose Patient HL based on their symptoms and medical history, propose an appropriate drug therapy plan considering the currently prescribed medications, and justify the recommended treatment.

Diagnosis to The Patient

Based on the patient’s symptoms of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a history of drug abuse, and Hepatitis C infection, it is likely that patient HL suffers from a gastrointestinal disorder known as viral gastroenteritis (Bányai et al., 2018). This refers to stomach lining inflammation caused by viral infections like norovirus.

Rationale for Diagnosis

The patient’s symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, which are common in patients with viral gastroenteritis. He also has a history of drug abuse, which weakens the immune system and increases susceptibility to infections, including gastrointestinal infections. Lastly, the patient has Hepatitis C, a liver disease that causes gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.

Appropriate Drug Therapy Plan

An antiemetic medication such as ondansetron 4mg daily is prescribed to manage nausea and vomiting as it works by blocking the action of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that triggers nausea and vomiting. Loperamide 4mg initially, then 2mg after every loose stool is recommended to reduce intestinal motility and slow down bowel movements to control diarrhea. Taking Synthroid 100 mcg daily does not directly interact with the proposed drug therapy plan for viral gastroenteritis or Hepatitis C; hence, no adjustments are required. Nifedipine is used primarily for hypertension and does not directly interact with the proposed drug therapy plan; caution should be exercised due to its potential side effects of dizziness and lightheadedness.

Justification for Drug Therapy

Ondansetron is an antiemetic medication that effectively alleviates nausea and vomiting associated with viral gastroenteritis (Athavale et al., 2020). Its mechanism of action in blocking serotonin receptors makes it an appropriate choice for managing these symptoms. Loperamide reduces intestinal motility, slows down bowel movements, and helps control diarrhea, relieving the patient.

In summary, a thorough assessment of a patient’s case is vital for appropriate diagnosis and management. Considering the patient’s history and manifestation, it is possible they have gastroenteritis. Symptomatic management with Loperamide for diarrhea and Ondansetron for vomiting would be crucial for their management.

References

Athavale, A., Athavale, T., & Roberts, D. M. (2020). Antiemetic drugs: what to prescribe and when. Australian Prescriber, 43(2), 49.

Bányai, K., Estes, M. K., Martella, V., & Parashar, U. D. (2018). Viral gastroenteritis. The Lancet, 392(10142), 175-186.

Rosenthal, L. D., & Burchum, J. R. (2021). Lehne’s pharmacotherapeutics for advanced practice nurses and physician assistants (2nd ed.) St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.