Question

The nurse is caring for a client who has been taking potassium-sparing diuretic. What assessment finding would suggest an adverse reaction?

Answer 1

Potassium sparing diuretic are the drugs that cause loss of water from the body in form of urine without loss of potassium from the body.

Spironolactone is a widely used potassium sparing diuretic. These drugs may cause Hyperkalemia as the potassium is retained in the body. Thus may cause fatal arrhythmias that can result in cardiac arrest . Initial symptoms that can be observed in assessment by the nurse include ---

• Numbness and tingling sensation in the extremities.
• Irregular heart rate.
• Shortness of breath.
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Muscle weakness.
• Changes in muscle reflexes.

Thank you.