Genitourinary System Assessment Related

Review Genitourinary System Assessment related questions and content

A 50-year-old woman calls the clinic because she has noticed some changes in her body and breasts and wonders if these changes could be attributable to the hormone replacement therapy (HRT) she started 3 months earlier. The nurse should tell her:

  • A. HRT is at such a low dose that side effects are very unusual.
  • B. HRT has several side effects, including fluid retention, breast tenderness, and vaginal bleeding.
  • C. Vaginal bleeding with HRT is very unusual; I suggest you come into the clinic immediately to have this evaluated.
  • D. It sounds as if your dose of estrogen is too high; I think you may need to decrease the amount you are taking and then call back in a week.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B because hormone replacement therapy (HRT) commonly causes side effects such as fluid retention, breast tenderness, and vaginal bleeding. This information is important for the nurse to communicate to the patient, as it aligns with the symptoms the woman is experiencing. Choice A is incorrect as even low doses of HRT can still result in side effects. Choice C is incorrect because vaginal bleeding with HRT is not very unusual and does not necessitate immediate evaluation unless it is severe. Choice D is incorrect as adjusting the dose without proper evaluation could be dangerous and is not the appropriate first step in addressing the patient's concerns.