Nursing Exam Review Mrs. Burgess is a 67-year-old female who was recently diagnosed with depression and prescribed a tricyclic antidepressant drug. In addition, she is on medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol and takes a calcium supplement. She phones her physician's office complaining of problems with constipation. The nurse suspects that the problems may be due to:

Question

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Tricyclic antidepressant drugs commonly cause constipation as a side effect. The patient's other medications and supplements may also contribute to constipation, but the tricyclic antidepressant is the most likely culprit. Age, depression, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol are not typically associated with constipation as a main symptom.