A cancer patient is receiving drug therapy with epoetin alfa (Epogen). The nurse knows that the medication must be stopped if which laboratory result is noted?

Question

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If epoetin is continued when hemoglobin levels are above 11 g/dL, patients may experience serious adverse events, including heart attack, stroke, and death. Guidelines now recommend that the drug be stopped when the hemoglobin level reaches 10 g/dL for cancer patients. For renal patients, the target hemoglobin level is 11 g/dL for patients on dialysis and 10 g/dL for chronic renal patients not on dialysis.

A Cancer Patient Is Receiving Drug Therapy with Epoetin Alfa