The Nurse Is Listening to a 56-Year-Old Client's Apical Heart

The nurse is listening to a 56-year-old client's apical heart rate before giving digoxin (Lanoxin) and notes that the heart rate is 48 beats/min. Which of the following would be an appropriate course of action taken by the nurse?

A) Withhold the digoxin, and reevaluate the heart rate in 4 hours.
B) Administer half the prescribed dose to avoid a further decrease in heart rate.
C) Withhold the digoxin; assess for signs of decreased cardiac output and digoxin toxicity.
D) Administer the digoxin; the heart rate would be considered normal because of the client's age.