The Nurse Prepares to Administer a Glucocorticoid Agent to a Client

The nurse prepares to administer a glucocorticoid agent to a client with an inflammatory disorder. What is the nurse's understanding of the purpose of glucocorticoids in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis?

A) Glucocorticoids cause the release of cytokines that downregulate the inflammatory response.
B) Glucocorticoids increase the number of active immune cells in the body.
C) Glucocorticoids stimulate the pituitary, decreasing inflammation.
D) Glucorticoids act with cytokines to decrease the inflammatory response.