A patient is taking high doses of prednisone to control the symptoms of an acute exacerbation of systemic lupus erythematosus. When teaching the patient about the use of prednisone, which information is most important for the nurse to include?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Acute adrenal insufficiency may occur if exogenous glucocorticoids are suddenly stopped. Mood alterations and weight gain are possible adverse effects of glucocorticoid use, but these are not life-threatening effects. Glucocorticoids do mask the signs of infection, but temperature elevation tends to be suppressed, so other signs of infection should be monitored.

A Patient Is Taking High Doses of Prednisone to Control