Practice Question
Which patient scenario represents an absolute contraindication to GH therapy?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
An adolescent with closed epiphyseal growth plates
Rationale:
🔹 Growth hormone (GH) requires open epiphyseal (growth) plates to stimulate linear bone growth, making therapy ineffective once the plates are fused.
🔹 Closed epiphyses represent an absolute contraindication because GH cannot increase height after skeletal maturity, regardless of dose or duration.
🔹 Administering GH in this setting offers no clinical benefit and exposes the patient to unnecessary risks such as edema, arthralgia, and glucose intolerance.
🔹 GH use after epiphyseal closure may increase soft tissue growth but does not affect stature, which is the primary therapeutic goal in adolescents.
🔹 Therefore, GH therapy should not be initiated once growth plates are closed.
❌ Why the other options are not absolute contraindications
❌ A child with untreated hypothyroidism
🔹 Hypothyroidism should be corrected before GH therapy, but it is a relative, not absolute, contraindication.
❌ A patient with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance
🔹 GH can worsen glucose control, but it may be used with careful monitoring; this is not an absolute contraindication.
❌ A woman with HIV-associated lipodystrophy
🔹 GH is an approved indication for HIV-associated wasting/lipodystrophy.
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This question is from ☑️ EXAM 3 2025 which contains 42 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: General Exams
- Domain: 🚑Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 4