A postoperative patient is receiving morphine sulfate from a patient-controlled analgesia device.On assessment,the nurse notes that the patient's respirations are depressed.The nurse realizes the effect of morphine sulfate infusion can be labeled as which of the following?

A) Toxic
B) Allergic
C) Therapeutic
D) Idiosyncratic

Toxic effects are capable of causing injury or death.They often develop after prolonged intake of a medication or when a medication accumulates in the blood because of impaired metabolism or excretion.When patients become immunologically sensitized to a medication after taking at least one dose,allergic reactions occur.When a patient's immune system causes abnormal reactions to a medication,the patient has a medication allergy.Each medication has a therapeutic effect,the intended or desired physiological response of a medication.Some medications cause unpredictable effects,such as idiosyncratic reactions,in which a patient overreacts or underreacts to a medication or has a reaction different from what is expected.