A 20-year-old diagnosed with Crohn’s disease is experiencing severe pa

A 20-year-old diagnosed with Crohn’s disease is experiencing severe pain and is requesting the prescribed morphine as often as it can be administered. The nurse is particularly concerned about opioid toxicity because of:

1. The client’s frequent requests for the narcotic
2. The client’s compromised bowel absorption
3. The drug’s seeming inability to control the client’s pain
4. The drug’s ability to produce marked respiratory depression

ANSWER

ANS: 2
Toxic effects develop after prolonged intake of a medication or when a medication accumulates in the blood because of impaired metabolism or excretion. For example, toxic levels of morphine, an opioid, cause severe respiratory depression and death. This client’s gastrointestinal problem puts her at particular risk. The remaining options, while not incorrect, are not the primary cause for concern related to toxicity.