An adolescent is admitted to the hospital because of a suicide attempt with an overdose of acetaminophen. Which blood values are most important for the nurse to monitor during the first 72 hours following ingestion of this overdose?

A. Arterial blood pH, pCO₂, and oxygen saturation are important in respiratory or metabolic emergencies but are not the primary concern after acetaminophen overdose. B. White blood count, hemoglobin, and hematocrit assess infection or anemia, which are not the immediate issues in acetaminophen toxicity. C. Lactic dehydrogenase (LD), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) are liver enzymes. Acetaminophen overdose causes hepatotoxicity, so these values are critical to monitor in the first 72 hours to detect liver damage early. D. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and specific gravity assess kidney function, which may be secondarily affected, but the main risk in acetaminophen overdose is acute liver injury.