Radiologic technologists play an important role in providing patients with care and assessment. These medical specialists are responsible for conducting imaging procedures to examine people’s physical and emotional well-being and promote diagnostic accuracy (Suchsland et al., 2020). In clinical settings, radiologists should identify and prescribe different pharmacological agents during the examination. Drug reactions depend considerably on patients and administration methods, and the chosen group of employees must know the basics of drug classification and understand the potential impact of medications on patient care.
For example, many diabetic patients require intravenous contrast-enhanced exams like computed tomography or angiography. People who take metformin to decrease the glucose level in their blood may experience a deterioration of renal function and lactic acidosis (Hsu et al., 2018). Radiologists’ awareness of drug classification allows understanding the importance of additional tests to check the creatinine level and the glomerular filtration rate and see how the kidney works. This information is necessary because it shows if it is better to stop taking metformin at the time of the exam to obtain correct results. When a radiologic technician knows the classification of drugs, it is possible to analyze the patient’s condition and predict the development of adverse effects.
References
Hsu, W. H., Hsiao, P. J., Lin, P. C., Chen, S. C., Lee, M. Y., & Shin, S. J. (2018). Effect of metformin on kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and moderate chronic kidney disease. Oncotarget, 9(4), 5416-5423. Web.
Suchsland, M. Z., Cruz, M. J., Hardy, V., Jarvik, J., McMillan, G., Brittain, A., & Thompson, M. (2020). Qualitative study to explore radiologist and radiologic technologist perceptions of outcomes patients experience during imaging in the USA. BMJ Open, 10(7). Web.