A nurse on the cardiac unit is providing care to a 67-year-old patient who has recently been started on BiDil (hydralazine/isosorbide dinitrate) 1 tablet orally three times daily. The patient informs the nurse that he has a headache and rates his headache pain as 4 on a scale of 1-10. Which of the following actions by the nurse is best?
A) Hold all future doses of BiDil and notify the pharmacy that the patient is allergic to the medication.
B) Determine the patient's oxygen saturation and call the physician.
C) Inform the patient this is a common side effect and provide Tylenol (acetaminophen) prn as ordered.
D) Provide earphones and teach the patient to use distraction techniques.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Headache is a common side effect of BiDil due to the vasodilation effects of the medication. Holding all future doses and notifying the pharmacy of a medication allergy is incorrect because the patient is not experiencing an allergic reaction. Checking oxygen saturation and calling the physician is not indicated for a headache. Providing distraction techniques may help alleviate headache pain but addressing the cause of the headache with medication is appropriate in this case. The best action is to inform the patient that headache is a common side effect and provide Tylenol as ordered.

A Nurse on the Cardiac Unit Is Providing Care to a 67-Year-Old