A client who is taking furosemide reports experiencing leg cramps, a cough, feeling tired, and palpitations. Which action should the nurse take first?

A. Place on cardiac monitoring: Furosemide can cause hypokalemia, which may present with muscle cramps, fatigue, palpitations, and potentially dangerous dysrhythmias. Cardiac monitoring is the priority to detect life-threatening rhythm changes and intervene promptly. B. Raise the head of the bed: This action may improve breathing if the cough is from fluid overload, but the symptoms here point more toward electrolyte imbalance with cardiac risk, making it secondary to continuous cardiac monitoring. C. Monitor intake and output: Important for evaluating fluid balance with diuretics, but it does not address the immediate risk of dysrhythmia from possible severe hypokalemia. D. Apply warm compresses to legs: This might relieve muscle cramps, but it is comfort-focused and not a priority when there is a possible underlying electrolyte disturbance causing cardiac instability.