Anurse practitioner is teaching a patient about a new prescription for reserpine [serpasil] for hypertension. which statement by the patient indicates the need for further teaching?

a. "Depressive side effects are common and will improve over time."

Explanation:

Reserpine may cause severe depression and this depression may linger for months even after discontinuation of therapy. Hence, the adverse effect of depression is not common among patients and does not improve with time just by discontinuing the drug. Other options given in this question are correct and rightly put. Reserpine stimulates gastric acid secretion and gastric motility  causing diarrhea and abdominal cramps. The drug also causes orthostatic hypotension as side effect, and patients taking reserpine are asked to rise slowly and sit down when feeling dizzy. the mechanism of action of reserpine is to deplete norepinephrine to cause maximal effect. Hence, optimal therapeutic outcome is established after 1 to 2 weeks.