A Patient Has Been Taking Narcotic Analgesics for Chronic Pain

A patient has been taking narcotic analgesics for chronic pain for several months. The nurse caring for this patient notes that the prescribed dose is higher than the recommended dose. The patient has normal vital signs, is awake and alert, and reports mild pain. What does the nurse recognize about this patient?

A) This patient exhibits a negative placebo effect with a reduced response to the drug.
B) This patient has developed a reaction known as tachyphylaxis because of repeated exposure to the drug.
C) This patient has developed pharmacodynamic tolerance, which has increased the minimal effective concentration (MEC) needed for analgesic effect.
D) This patient produces higher than normal hepatic enzymes as a result of prolonged exposure to the drug.