What is a significant nursing consideration for patients taking ganciclovir?

When patients are prescribed ganciclovir, it is essential for nurses to monitor them for signs of hematological toxicity, particularly leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. Although signs of liver failure are generally crucial for many medications, the most significant nursing consideration with ganciclovir revolves around the risk of bone marrow suppression, which can lead to infections or bleeding.

Ganciclovir has a notable potential to cause cytopenias due to its mechanism of action, which targets rapidly dividing cells—including bone marrow cells. As a result, close monitoring for signs of this toxicity, such as unusual bruising, bleeding, or signs of infection, is crucial in ensuring the patient’s safety.

In contrast, while avoiding contact with others may be a consideration due to the immunosuppressive effects, it is not as directly significant as monitoring for the cytopenias. Likewise, concerns around cardiotoxicity are more relevant to other medications, and high fluid intake is generally not a primary concern with ganciclovir treatment.