The Patient Has Had Hypertension for Many Years

The patient has had hypertension for many years. The physician orders an antihypertensive drug that has just come on the market. The nurse teaches the patient that this drug works more effectively than his prior drug and has fewer side effects. The patient asks how this can be. What is the best response by the nurse?

A) "Newer drugs are altered to affect your cells' receptors in a different way."
B) "Receptors tend to 'burn-out,' so newer drugs are required."
C) "Research into receptors helps 'fine-tune' drugs to be more effective."
D) "Changing the response of the drug to protein receptor-complexes produces fewer side effects."
E) "It is a process of trial and error with receptors until the new drug proves effective."