Certified Medication Aide Practice

What effect may medication have on the kidneys?

1. Increased filtering ability

2. Decreased white blood cells

3. Decreased filtering ability

4. Slowed breathing

The correct answer is: Decreased filtering ability

Certain medications can have adverse effects on the kidneys, including decreasing their filtering ability. This can lead to a decreased ability to remove waste and excess fluid from the body, potentially resulting in kidney damage or failure over time. It is essential for medication aides to be aware of these potential effects to monitor patients closely for any signs of kidney impairment. Options A, B, and D are incorrect: - Increased filtering ability is not a common effect of medications on the kidneys; instead, medications are more likely to decrease kidney function. - Decreased white blood cells (option B) is not directly related to the effect of medications on the kidneys. A decrease in white blood cells is more commonly associated with bone marrow suppression or certain medications that affect the immune system. - Slowed breathing (option D) is not typically a direct effect of medications on the kidneys. It is important to monitor for respiratory depression with certain medications that can affect breathing, but this is not specifically related to the kidneys.