Which of the following might require vital signs or lab work when starting a new medication?

• A. The cost per unit
• B. The packaging size
• C. Vital signs or lab work required
• D. The color of the label

Answer: (C)

Starting a new medication often requires baseline monitoring of vital signs and lab tests when there is a potential safety risk. This helps establish a reference point and catch adverse effects early, ensuring the drug won’t harm the patient. Some drugs can affect organs or body chemistry—kidney function, liver function, electrolytes, or blood clotting—so clinicians monitor labs like creatinine, liver enzymes, electrolytes, or INR, and watch vitals such as blood pressure or heart rate after initiation. In contrast, factors like cost, packaging size, or label color don’t inform safety monitoring and usually aren’t reasons to obtain vitals or labs.