A client with benign prostatic hyperplasia receives a new prescription of tamsulosin. Which intervention should the nurse perform to monitor for an adverse reaction?

A. Monitor blood pressure: Tamsulosin is an alpha-1 adrenergic blocker used to relax smooth muscle in the prostate and bladder neck, improving urine flow in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A common adverse effect is orthostatic hypotension, so monitoring blood pressure helps detect this and prevent falls or dizziness. B. Obtain daily weights: While daily weights are useful for monitoring fluid retention in conditions like heart failure, they are not a primary method of detecting adverse reactions to tamsulosin. Weight changes are not a known significant side effect of this medication. C. Perform a bladder scan: A bladder scan assesses urine retention, which is more useful in determining treatment effectiveness rather than detecting adverse reactions. Tamsulosin’s side effects are more cardiovascular than urinary in nature. D. Assess urine output: Monitoring urine output can help evaluate BPH treatment response but does not specifically detect tamsulosin’s adverse effects. The drug’s risk is more related to blood pressure than to kidney function or urine volume.