Family Nurse Practitioner Exam

What test is most appropriate for a patient reporting fatigue and dark urine after starting fluvastatin?

1. Complete blood count with differential

2. Liver function profile

3. Urine culture and sensitivity test

4. Electrolyte panel

The correct answer is: Liver function profile

The most appropriate test for a patient reporting fatigue and dark urine after starting fluvastatin is a liver function profile. Fluvastatin belongs to a class of medications known as statins, which can potentially affect liver function. Symptoms such as fatigue and dark urine may indicate liver dysfunction or damage, which can occur as a side effect of statin therapy. A liver function profile typically includes tests for enzymes such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as bilirubin levels, which can help assess the health of the liver. Elevated levels of these enzymes, along with high bilirubin, could indicate liver injury or impairment, prompting further evaluation and management of the patient’s statin therapy. The other options, while they serve specific purposes in patient evaluation, are not as directly relevant to assessing the risk of liver damage associated with statin use in this context. A complete blood count with differential would help rule out infections or hematologic conditions but would not directly address liver function. A urine culture and sensitivity test is useful for diagnosing urinary tract infections but does not relate to liver function or identify the cause of dark urine. An electrolyte panel assesses electrolyte balance but does not provide information about liver