Which of the following best characterizes the monitoring needed after a short-acting olanzapine IM injection?

• A. Hypertension and tachycardia
• B. Hair loss
• C. Orthostatic hypotension, oversedation, delirium, cardiorespiratory depression
• D. Renal dysfunction only

Answer: (C)

The main concept here is the safety monitoring needed after giving a short-acting olanzapine IM injection. This medication can cause rapid sedation and cardiovascular effects, so the key concerns are how the patient handles sedation and how their blood pressure and breathing are affected. Close monitoring should focus on orthostatic blood pressure changes, level of sedation, mental status (watch for delirium), and respiratory/cardiorespiratory function. The best choice explicitly includes orthostatic hypotension, oversedation, delirium, and cardiorespiratory depression because it covers the most clinically important and immediate risks after IM olanzapine. Hypertension and tachycardia aren’t the primary risks in this scenario, hair loss isn’t an acute effect, and renal dysfunction alone doesn’t capture the critical monitoring needs.