Practice Question
The nurse instructs a patient taking which antibiotic(s) to wear sunscreen and a hat and to avoid the sun between 10 AM and 4 PM? (Select all that apply.)
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Cotrimoxazole (Bactrim)
Rationale:
🌞 Cotrimoxazole (Bactrim)
♦️Belongs to the sulfonamide class of antibiotics, which are well-known to cause photosensitivity reactions.
♦️Patients may experience severe sunburns, rashes, or blistering even with limited sun exposure.
♦️The mechanism involves drug-induced skin hypersensitivity to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, leading to DNA damage and exaggerated inflammatory response.
♦️Nurses should educate patients to:
💥Apply broad-spectrum sunscreen (SPF 30 or higher) before going outdoors.
💥Wear protective clothing such as long sleeves and wide-brimmed hats.
💥Avoid sun exposure between 10 AM and 4 PM, when UV radiation is strongest.
♦️This teaching is critical because Bactrim is commonly prescribed for urinary tract infections, skin infections, and Pneumocystis pneumonia, conditions often requiring extended courses of therapy.
🌞 Demeclocycline (Declomycin)
♦️A member of the tetracycline antibiotic family, which is also strongly associated with photosensitivity.
♦️Photosensitivity may present as redness, itching, rash, or blistering after sun exposure. In severe cases, long-term skin damage can occur.
♦️The drug works by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis but inadvertently makes the skin more reactive to UV light.
♦️Nurses should emphasize the same sun safety precautions as with Bactrim: sunscreen, protective clothing, and limiting peak-time exposure.
♦️Beyond photosensitivity, tetracyclines like demeclocycline should not be taken with milk or antacids, as calcium and magnesium reduce absorption.
♦️Since demeclocycline is sometimes used long-term (e.g., for SIADH management), repeated sun exposure risk becomes a real concern if precautions are not followed.
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This question is from ☑️Rn Pharmacology which contains 77 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 6