Practice Question
A patient with hypothyroidism is prescribed levothyroxine (Synthroid). After several weeks of therapy, they report anxiety, insomnia, weight loss, and palpitations. Which nursing action is most appropriate?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Withhold the medication and notify the provider of potential over-replacement
Rationale:
🔴 The symptoms reported—anxiety, insomnia, weight loss, and palpitations—are classic signs of thyrotoxicosis, indicating that the levothyroxine dose may be too high, leading to over-replacement of thyroid hormone. This places the patient at risk for cardiac complications, bone loss, and further endocrine imbalance.
🔴 The nurse’s priority action is to withhold the medication and notify the healthcare provider immediately to reassess thyroid levels (TSH, free T4) and adjust the dosage.
🔴 Reassurance is inappropriate because the symptoms reflect medication toxicity, not normal adjustment.
🔴 Taking levothyroxine at bedtime may affect absorption but will not prevent over-replacement symptoms.
🔴 Increasing dietary iodine is not relevant here, as levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone, and iodine intake does not resolve overdose symptoms.
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This question is from Examplify 1 which contains 49 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: Examplify Exam(s)
- Domain: Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 4