A nurse is teaching a patient about a new prescription for reserpine [Serpasil] for hypertension. Which statement by the patient indicates the need for further teaching?

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Reserpine can produce severe depression, which may persist for months during drug therapy and after the drug is withdrawn. Reserpine can stimulate the secretion of gastric acid, which can cause ulcers; it also can increase the tone and motility of intestinal smooth muscle, which can cause cramps and diarrhea. Reserpine can cause orthostatic hypotension, so patients should be counseled to rise slowly when standing up and to sit or lie down if they feel dizzy. Reserpine works by depleting norepinephrine, and the processes necessary for this may take 1 to 2 weeks.

A Nurse Is Teaching a Patient About a New Prescription