Family Nurse Practitioner Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide.

Monitoring serum creatinine and potassium levels is essential for a patient with mild renal insufficiency, particularly when a patient is taking an ACE inhibitor like lisinopril. Lisinopril is effective for managing hypertension and can also provide renal protective benefits, but it also poses a risk of hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels) and can affect kidney function.

In patients with renal insufficiency, the kidneys are less able to filter waste products, which can lead to increased serum creatinine levels. Keeping a close watch on these levels helps ensure that the medication is not exacerbating any existing renal issues. Additionally, since ACE inhibitors can cause the body to retain potassium, monitoring its levels is crucial to avoid complications associated with hyperkalemia, such as cardiac arrhythmias.

The importance of monitoring other laboratory values, such as hemoglobin, hematocrit, liver enzymes, or levels of sodium and magnesium, while still relevant in other contexts, does not specifically address the critical considerations that come with renal insufficiency and the use of lisinopril. Thus, focusing on serum creatinine and potassium provides the most pertinent information regarding the patient's renal status and safety while on this medication.