A patient is prescribed an oral corticosteroid for a chronic inflammatory health problem.Which precaution is most important for the nurse to teach?

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

All of the choices are precautions that the nurse should teach the patient taking an oral corticosteroid for the long term.However,the most critical precaution is to not stop taking the drug because long-term corticosteroid use causes atrophy of the adrenal glands.With adrenal gland atrophy,the person no longer makes his or her own normal levels of corticosteroids,which are essential for life.Long-term steroid use is never suddenly stopped.

A Patient Is Prescribed an Oral Corticosteroid for a Chronic