Question

NURS 1120 - Pharmacology Lower Respiratory Case Study An asthmatic client with a history of smoking one half pack of cigarettes a day is seen in the outpatient clinic and given a prescription for theophylline, a bronchodilator, to help control his asthma. The client's serum theophylline level after 1 week on the drug is checked, and it is 15 mcg/mL, which is within the therapeutic range. The client is instructed to continue taking the dose but to stop smoking. The client returns to the clinic for a visit 6 weeks after starting the theophylline regimen. The serum theophylline level is now 25 mcg/mL, which is above the therapeutic range. The client says to you, "I gave up smoking like they told me, but, boy, now I feel rotten. I have a headache all the time, and I can't sleep. I thought giving up smoking would make me feel better, not worse." What explanations may account for this client's complaints? What actions might be necessary to correct these complaints?

I am completely stuck on these questions.

Answer 1

Answer: In the above mentioned case, the client was a smoker and he quits smoking. The symptoms he is facing now is the withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms include:

• Intense headache
• Vomiting
• Uneasiness
• Sore throat.