A patient has been taking phentermine (Adipex-P) for 2 months for weight loss. The patient tells the nurse that the medication no longer causes appetite suppression. The nurse will expect the prescriber to:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Tolerance to drugs in this class is common and usually occurs in 6 to 12 weeks. When it occurs, the drug should be discontinued. Continuing the drug is not appropriate, because tolerance to the desired effect has occurred. Increasing the dose does not overcome the tolerance to the effect. Switching to a similar agent is not correct, because cross-tolerance is a factor.

A Patient Has Been Taking Phentermine (Adipex-P) for 2 Months