PHARMACOLOGY: EXAM 2 PRACTICE Q'S W/
RATIONALES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1.The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective
beta2-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm. The nurse will expect this drug
to also cause which side effect?
a. Increased blood glucose
b. Increased blood pressure
c. Increased heart rate
d. Increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
Drugs that act on beta2 receptors activate gluconeogenesis in the liver, causing
increased blood glucose. Selective beta2 drugs act on beta2
receptors only and not on beta1 receptors, so they do not cause increased blood
pressure or increased heart rate. Adrenergic agonists cause decreased GI motility.
2.The nurse administers subcutaneous epinephrine to a patient who is
experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. The nurse should expect to monitor the
patient for which symptom?
a. Bradycardia
b. Decreased urine output
c. Hypotension
d. Nausea and vomiting - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: B
Epinephrine can cause renal vasoconstriction and thereby reduce renal perfusion
and decrease
,urinary output. Epinephrine causes tachycardia and elevates blood pressure.
Nausea and vomiting
are not expected to occur.
3.An adult patient is brought to the emergency department for treatment of an
asthma exacerbation. The patient uses inhaled albuterol as needed to control
wheezing. The nurse notes expiratory wheezing, tremors, restlessness, and a
heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The nurse suspects that the patient has
a. overused the albuterol.
b. not been using albuterol.
c. taken a beta-adrenergic blocker.
d. taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
High doses of albuterol may affect beta 1 receptors, causing an increase in heart
rate. Patients having an asthma exacerbation may overuse their albuterol inhalers
when seeking relief. Patients may have wheezing and increased heart rate during
an untreated asthma exacerbation, but they will not have tremors and
restlessness.
4.The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin).
What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking
this medication?
a. The drug must be taken twice daily.
b. The patient must rise slowly from a chair or bed.
c. The medication is safe to take during pregnancy.
d. Use NSAIDs as needed for mild to moderate pain. - ............ANSWER..............
ANS: B
,The side effects commonly associated with beta blockers include bradycardia,
hypotension, and
dizziness. Patients should be instructed to use caution when rising from a sitting
or lying position to avoid orthostatic hypotension. Atenolol may be taken once
daily. Atenolol is contraindicated in the
pregnant patient. NSAIDs decrease the effects of beta blockers and should be
avoided.
5.The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol
(Tenormin) to treat hypertension. The patient reports dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
and decreased libido since beginning the medication. What will the nurse do?
a. Hold the next dose until the provider can be notified of these side effects.
b. Reassure the patient that these symptoms are common and not worrisome.
c. Recommend that the patient discuss these effects with the provider.
d. Suggest that the patient request a different beta-adrenergic blocker. -
............ANSWER.............. ANS: C
Beta-adrenergic blockers can cause these side effects, which are often dose
related. Patients
experiencing these side effects should be encouraged to discuss them with their
providers. Beta blockers should not be discontinued abruptly, or rebound
symptoms may occur. Since symptoms
may be dose related, reassuring the patient is not correct. All beta blockers have
similar side effects.
6.A patient will begin taking albuterol (Proventil) to treat asthma. When teaching
the patient about this drug, the nurse will make which recommendation?
, a. Report rapid or irregular heart rate.
b. Drink 8 to 16 extra ounces of fluid each day.
c. Monitor serum glucose daily.
d. Take a calcium supplement. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
High dosages of albuterol may affect beta
1 receptors, causing an increase in heart rate that could be dangerous. It is not
necessary to consume extra fluids or take a calcium supplement while using this
drug. Serum glucose may be elevated slightly, but this is not a concern in
nondiabetic patients.
7.A patient who has Raynaud's disease will begin taking an alpha-adrenergic
blocker. The patient asks the nurse how the drug works to treat symptoms. The
nurse explains that alpha-adrenergic blockers treat Raynaud's disease by causing
a. decreased peripheral vascular resistance.
b. orthostatic hypotension.
c. reflex tachycardia.
d. vasodilation. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: D
Alpha-adrenergic blockers can be used to treat peripheral vascular disease
because they cause
vasodilation.
8.A patient will be discharged on beta blockers. Which skill is essential for the
nurse to teach the patient's family?
a. How to prepare a low-sodium diet
RATIONALES QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1.The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective
beta2-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm. The nurse will expect this drug
to also cause which side effect?
a. Increased blood glucose
b. Increased blood pressure
c. Increased heart rate
d. Increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
Drugs that act on beta2 receptors activate gluconeogenesis in the liver, causing
increased blood glucose. Selective beta2 drugs act on beta2
receptors only and not on beta1 receptors, so they do not cause increased blood
pressure or increased heart rate. Adrenergic agonists cause decreased GI motility.
2.The nurse administers subcutaneous epinephrine to a patient who is
experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. The nurse should expect to monitor the
patient for which symptom?
a. Bradycardia
b. Decreased urine output
c. Hypotension
d. Nausea and vomiting - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: B
Epinephrine can cause renal vasoconstriction and thereby reduce renal perfusion
and decrease
,urinary output. Epinephrine causes tachycardia and elevates blood pressure.
Nausea and vomiting
are not expected to occur.
3.An adult patient is brought to the emergency department for treatment of an
asthma exacerbation. The patient uses inhaled albuterol as needed to control
wheezing. The nurse notes expiratory wheezing, tremors, restlessness, and a
heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The nurse suspects that the patient has
a. overused the albuterol.
b. not been using albuterol.
c. taken a beta-adrenergic blocker.
d. taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
High doses of albuterol may affect beta 1 receptors, causing an increase in heart
rate. Patients having an asthma exacerbation may overuse their albuterol inhalers
when seeking relief. Patients may have wheezing and increased heart rate during
an untreated asthma exacerbation, but they will not have tremors and
restlessness.
4.The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin).
What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking
this medication?
a. The drug must be taken twice daily.
b. The patient must rise slowly from a chair or bed.
c. The medication is safe to take during pregnancy.
d. Use NSAIDs as needed for mild to moderate pain. - ............ANSWER..............
ANS: B
,The side effects commonly associated with beta blockers include bradycardia,
hypotension, and
dizziness. Patients should be instructed to use caution when rising from a sitting
or lying position to avoid orthostatic hypotension. Atenolol may be taken once
daily. Atenolol is contraindicated in the
pregnant patient. NSAIDs decrease the effects of beta blockers and should be
avoided.
5.The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol
(Tenormin) to treat hypertension. The patient reports dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
and decreased libido since beginning the medication. What will the nurse do?
a. Hold the next dose until the provider can be notified of these side effects.
b. Reassure the patient that these symptoms are common and not worrisome.
c. Recommend that the patient discuss these effects with the provider.
d. Suggest that the patient request a different beta-adrenergic blocker. -
............ANSWER.............. ANS: C
Beta-adrenergic blockers can cause these side effects, which are often dose
related. Patients
experiencing these side effects should be encouraged to discuss them with their
providers. Beta blockers should not be discontinued abruptly, or rebound
symptoms may occur. Since symptoms
may be dose related, reassuring the patient is not correct. All beta blockers have
similar side effects.
6.A patient will begin taking albuterol (Proventil) to treat asthma. When teaching
the patient about this drug, the nurse will make which recommendation?
, a. Report rapid or irregular heart rate.
b. Drink 8 to 16 extra ounces of fluid each day.
c. Monitor serum glucose daily.
d. Take a calcium supplement. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: A
High dosages of albuterol may affect beta
1 receptors, causing an increase in heart rate that could be dangerous. It is not
necessary to consume extra fluids or take a calcium supplement while using this
drug. Serum glucose may be elevated slightly, but this is not a concern in
nondiabetic patients.
7.A patient who has Raynaud's disease will begin taking an alpha-adrenergic
blocker. The patient asks the nurse how the drug works to treat symptoms. The
nurse explains that alpha-adrenergic blockers treat Raynaud's disease by causing
a. decreased peripheral vascular resistance.
b. orthostatic hypotension.
c. reflex tachycardia.
d. vasodilation. - ............ANSWER.............. ANS: D
Alpha-adrenergic blockers can be used to treat peripheral vascular disease
because they cause
vasodilation.
8.A patient will be discharged on beta blockers. Which skill is essential for the
nurse to teach the patient's family?
a. How to prepare a low-sodium diet
