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The client's health care provider prescribed dantrolene sodium (Dantrium) 25 mg daily for the treatment of neck spasms secondary to spinal cord injury.
 
  The client reports that the medication is not working, even though it has been 45 days since the medication was started. What changes in this client's plan of care would the nurse anticipate?
  Standard Text: Select all that apply.
  1. Increase in the dosage frequency to twice a day
  2. Discontinuation of the medication
  3. Increase in the frequency of hepatic function tests
  4. Change to a different medication
  5. Addition of succinylcholine (Anectine) to the client's medications

Correct Answer: 2,4
Rationale 1: If no therapeutic effect of the medication is noted after 45 days of treatment, increasing the dosage in not indicated.
Rationale 2: If there has been no therapeutic effect from the dantrolene after 45 days of therapy, the medication should be discontinued.
Rationale 3: Simply increasing the frequency of liver tests will not prevent damage to the liver.
Rationale 4: Since there have been no therapeutic effects from this medication, a different medication is indicated.
Rationale 5: Succinylcholine (Anectine) is a drug used during surgery, not on an outpatient basis.
Global Rationale: If there has been no therapeutic effect from the dantrolene after 45 days of therapy, the medication should be discontinued. Since there have been no therapeutic effects from this medication, a different medication is indicated. If no therapeutic effect of the medication is noted after 45 days of treatment, increasing the dosage in not indicated. Simply increasing the frequency of liver tests will not prevent damage to the liver. Succinylcholine (Anectine) is a drug used during surgery, not on an outpatient basis.

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