Nursing Pharmacology (Drugs) // 90+
Revision questions and answers //
Test Bank.
What is the primary nursing consideration before administering digoxin to a patient with heart
failure?
✔️✔️ The nurse must check the apical pulse for one full minute and withhold the drug if the heart
rate is below the prescribed safe limit, usually 60 beats per minute, to prevent digoxin toxicity
and dangerous bradycardia.
Why is monitoring potassium levels important in patients taking loop diuretics like furosemide?
✔️✔️ Loop diuretics can cause potassium loss, and low potassium levels increase the risk of
cardiac arrhythmias and digitalis toxicity, making regular electrolyte monitoring essential.
What is the main therapeutic effect of beta-blockers in hypertension management?
✔️✔️ Beta-blockers reduce blood pressure by decreasing heart rate, myocardial contractility, and
renin release from the kidneys, ultimately lowering cardiac output and systemic vascular
resistance.
Why should morphine be used cautiously in patients with respiratory conditions?
✔️✔️ Morphine can depress the respiratory center in the brain, leading to slowed breathing and
increased risk of respiratory failure, especially in patients with COPD or asthma.
What is the antidote for heparin overdose?
✔️✔️ Protamine sulfate is used as an antidote to neutralize the anticoagulant effects of heparin and
restore normal clotting function.
Why is it important to monitor blood glucose levels in patients taking corticosteroids?
✔️✔️ Corticosteroids can increase blood glucose levels by promoting gluconeogenesis and
reducing insulin sensitivity, which may lead to steroid-induced diabetes.
What is a key patient education point for those taking warfarin?
✔️✔️ Patients should maintain consistent vitamin K intake and avoid sudden dietary changes, as
vitamin K can interfere with warfarin’s anticoagulant effect.
Why should aminoglycosides be monitored for toxicity?
✔️✔️ Aminoglycosides can cause nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, so monitoring kidney function
and hearing changes is essential during therapy.
What is the action of proton pump inhibitors in gastric disorders?
✔️✔️ Proton pump inhibitors block the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme in the stomach lining,
significantly reducing gastric acid secretion and promoting ulcer healing.
1
,Why is aspirin avoided in children with viral infections?
✔️✔️ Aspirin use in children with viral infections can lead to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but life-
threatening condition affecting the liver and brain.
What is the primary effect of insulin in diabetic patients?
✔️✔️ Insulin lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells and
promoting its storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Why should nitroglycerin tablets be stored in a dark container?
✔️✔️ Nitroglycerin is light-sensitive and loses potency when exposed to light, so it must be stored
in a tightly closed, dark container to maintain effectiveness.
What is a common side effect of opioid analgesics?
✔️✔️ Opioids commonly cause constipation due to decreased gastrointestinal motility, requiring
preventive measures such as increased fluids or stool softeners.
Why is it important to rotate injection sites for insulin?
✔️✔️ Rotating injection sites prevents lipodystrophy, which can affect insulin absorption and lead
to unpredictable blood glucose control.
What is the action of antihistamines in allergic reactions?
✔️✔️ Antihistamines block histamine receptors, reducing symptoms such as itching, swelling,
runny nose, and allergic inflammation.
Why must ACE inhibitors be monitored for potassium levels?
✔️✔️ ACE inhibitors can cause potassium retention, leading to hyperkalemia, which may result in
dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
What is the role of bronchodilators in asthma management?
✔️✔️ Bronchodilators relax smooth muscles in the airways, widening bronchial passages and
improving airflow to relieve breathing difficulty.
Why should tetracyclines be avoided in pregnancy?
✔️✔️ Tetracyclines can affect fetal bone and teeth development, leading to discoloration and
growth inhibition in the developing fetus.
What is the purpose of anticoagulant therapy in stroke prevention?
✔️✔️ Anticoagulants reduce the formation of blood clots, thereby lowering the risk of ischemic
stroke in patients with conditions like atrial fibrillation.
Why is furosemide sometimes given with potassium supplements?
✔️✔️ Furosemide causes potassium loss through urine, so potassium supplements help prevent
hypokalemia and associated complications.
2
, What is the action of antiemetic drugs?
✔️✔️ Antiemetics act on the vomiting center in the brain or gastrointestinal receptors to prevent or
relieve nausea and vomiting.
Why should lithium levels be closely monitored?
✔️✔️ Lithium has a narrow therapeutic range, and toxicity can cause tremors, confusion, and
kidney damage if levels become too high.
What is the main purpose of statin medications?
✔️✔️ Statins lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Why should MAO inhibitors not be combined with certain foods?
✔️✔️ MAO inhibitors interact with tyramine-rich foods, potentially causing severe hypertension
and dangerous blood pressure spikes.
What is the role of diuretics in heart failure treatment?
✔️✔️ Diuretics reduce fluid overload by increasing urine output, decreasing symptoms like edema
and improving cardiac workload.
Why is atropine used in bradycardia?
✔️✔️ Atropine blocks parasympathetic activity, increasing heart rate by reducing vagal
stimulation of the heart.
What is the effect of benzodiazepines on the central nervous system?
✔️✔️ Benzodiazepines enhance GABA activity, producing sedative, anxiolytic, and muscle-
relaxant effects.
Why should patients on antipsychotics be monitored for extrapyramidal symptoms?
✔️✔️ Antipsychotics can affect dopamine pathways, leading to movement disorders such as
tremors, rigidity, and tardive dyskinesia.
What is the mechanism of action of metformin?
✔️✔️ Metformin decreases hepatic glucose production and improves insulin sensitivity, helping to
control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes.
Why is epinephrine used in anaphylaxis?
✔️✔️ Epinephrine rapidly reverses airway constriction, increases blood pressure, and reduces
allergic inflammatory responses.
What is the importance of monitoring INR in warfarin therapy?
✔️✔️ INR monitoring ensures blood clotting levels remain within a safe therapeutic range,
preventing bleeding or clot formation.
3
Revision questions and answers //
Test Bank.
What is the primary nursing consideration before administering digoxin to a patient with heart
failure?
✔️✔️ The nurse must check the apical pulse for one full minute and withhold the drug if the heart
rate is below the prescribed safe limit, usually 60 beats per minute, to prevent digoxin toxicity
and dangerous bradycardia.
Why is monitoring potassium levels important in patients taking loop diuretics like furosemide?
✔️✔️ Loop diuretics can cause potassium loss, and low potassium levels increase the risk of
cardiac arrhythmias and digitalis toxicity, making regular electrolyte monitoring essential.
What is the main therapeutic effect of beta-blockers in hypertension management?
✔️✔️ Beta-blockers reduce blood pressure by decreasing heart rate, myocardial contractility, and
renin release from the kidneys, ultimately lowering cardiac output and systemic vascular
resistance.
Why should morphine be used cautiously in patients with respiratory conditions?
✔️✔️ Morphine can depress the respiratory center in the brain, leading to slowed breathing and
increased risk of respiratory failure, especially in patients with COPD or asthma.
What is the antidote for heparin overdose?
✔️✔️ Protamine sulfate is used as an antidote to neutralize the anticoagulant effects of heparin and
restore normal clotting function.
Why is it important to monitor blood glucose levels in patients taking corticosteroids?
✔️✔️ Corticosteroids can increase blood glucose levels by promoting gluconeogenesis and
reducing insulin sensitivity, which may lead to steroid-induced diabetes.
What is a key patient education point for those taking warfarin?
✔️✔️ Patients should maintain consistent vitamin K intake and avoid sudden dietary changes, as
vitamin K can interfere with warfarin’s anticoagulant effect.
Why should aminoglycosides be monitored for toxicity?
✔️✔️ Aminoglycosides can cause nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity, so monitoring kidney function
and hearing changes is essential during therapy.
What is the action of proton pump inhibitors in gastric disorders?
✔️✔️ Proton pump inhibitors block the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme in the stomach lining,
significantly reducing gastric acid secretion and promoting ulcer healing.
1
,Why is aspirin avoided in children with viral infections?
✔️✔️ Aspirin use in children with viral infections can lead to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but life-
threatening condition affecting the liver and brain.
What is the primary effect of insulin in diabetic patients?
✔️✔️ Insulin lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose into cells and
promoting its storage as glycogen in the liver and muscles.
Why should nitroglycerin tablets be stored in a dark container?
✔️✔️ Nitroglycerin is light-sensitive and loses potency when exposed to light, so it must be stored
in a tightly closed, dark container to maintain effectiveness.
What is a common side effect of opioid analgesics?
✔️✔️ Opioids commonly cause constipation due to decreased gastrointestinal motility, requiring
preventive measures such as increased fluids or stool softeners.
Why is it important to rotate injection sites for insulin?
✔️✔️ Rotating injection sites prevents lipodystrophy, which can affect insulin absorption and lead
to unpredictable blood glucose control.
What is the action of antihistamines in allergic reactions?
✔️✔️ Antihistamines block histamine receptors, reducing symptoms such as itching, swelling,
runny nose, and allergic inflammation.
Why must ACE inhibitors be monitored for potassium levels?
✔️✔️ ACE inhibitors can cause potassium retention, leading to hyperkalemia, which may result in
dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
What is the role of bronchodilators in asthma management?
✔️✔️ Bronchodilators relax smooth muscles in the airways, widening bronchial passages and
improving airflow to relieve breathing difficulty.
Why should tetracyclines be avoided in pregnancy?
✔️✔️ Tetracyclines can affect fetal bone and teeth development, leading to discoloration and
growth inhibition in the developing fetus.
What is the purpose of anticoagulant therapy in stroke prevention?
✔️✔️ Anticoagulants reduce the formation of blood clots, thereby lowering the risk of ischemic
stroke in patients with conditions like atrial fibrillation.
Why is furosemide sometimes given with potassium supplements?
✔️✔️ Furosemide causes potassium loss through urine, so potassium supplements help prevent
hypokalemia and associated complications.
2
, What is the action of antiemetic drugs?
✔️✔️ Antiemetics act on the vomiting center in the brain or gastrointestinal receptors to prevent or
relieve nausea and vomiting.
Why should lithium levels be closely monitored?
✔️✔️ Lithium has a narrow therapeutic range, and toxicity can cause tremors, confusion, and
kidney damage if levels become too high.
What is the main purpose of statin medications?
✔️✔️ Statins lower cholesterol levels by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, reducing the risk of
cardiovascular disease.
Why should MAO inhibitors not be combined with certain foods?
✔️✔️ MAO inhibitors interact with tyramine-rich foods, potentially causing severe hypertension
and dangerous blood pressure spikes.
What is the role of diuretics in heart failure treatment?
✔️✔️ Diuretics reduce fluid overload by increasing urine output, decreasing symptoms like edema
and improving cardiac workload.
Why is atropine used in bradycardia?
✔️✔️ Atropine blocks parasympathetic activity, increasing heart rate by reducing vagal
stimulation of the heart.
What is the effect of benzodiazepines on the central nervous system?
✔️✔️ Benzodiazepines enhance GABA activity, producing sedative, anxiolytic, and muscle-
relaxant effects.
Why should patients on antipsychotics be monitored for extrapyramidal symptoms?
✔️✔️ Antipsychotics can affect dopamine pathways, leading to movement disorders such as
tremors, rigidity, and tardive dyskinesia.
What is the mechanism of action of metformin?
✔️✔️ Metformin decreases hepatic glucose production and improves insulin sensitivity, helping to
control blood sugar in type 2 diabetes.
Why is epinephrine used in anaphylaxis?
✔️✔️ Epinephrine rapidly reverses airway constriction, increases blood pressure, and reduces
allergic inflammatory responses.
What is the importance of monitoring INR in warfarin therapy?
✔️✔️ INR monitoring ensures blood clotting levels remain within a safe therapeutic range,
preventing bleeding or clot formation.
3
