NURS 572 EXAM 3 | COMPREHENSIVE NURSING STUDY GUIDE,
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Week 9 -
3 therapeutic uses of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) - 1. HTN
2.Angina Pectoris
3. Cardiac Dysrhythmias
What are the 3 classifications of CCBs? - 1. Dihydropyridines
2. Phenylalkylamines
3.Benzothiazepines
What is the action of Dihydropyridines? - Acts on aterioles
What is the action of Phenylalkylamines? - Acts on arterioles and the heart
What is the action of Benzothiazepines? - Acts on arterioles and the heart
What class of CCBs is known by the suffix "-ipine"? - Dihydropyridines
What is the prototype drug for Dihydropyridines CCBs? - Nifedipine (Procardia)
Nifedipine (Procardia):
-MOA:
-Uses:
-ADEs:
-Safety Alert:
-Nursing Implications: - -MOA: Blocks calcium channels in VSM arterioles (i.e. blood vessels) to cause
vasodilation
-Uses:
-Angina Pectoris
-Essential HTN
-ADEs:
-Facial flushing
-Dizziness, headache
-Peripheral edema
-Gingival hyperplasia
,-Reflex tachycardia*
-Safety Alert: Immediate Release associated with increased mortality in Pts w/ MI and unstable angina
-Nursing Implications:
Phenylalkylamine CCB prototype drug - Verapamil (Calan)
Verapamil (Calan) MOA: - -Blocks calcium channels in arterioles (blood vessels) and in the heart
-Causes arteriole dilation, reduces arteriole pressure, increases coronary perfusion and reduces HR
Verapamil (Calan) uses: - -Angina pectoris
-Essential HTN
-Cardiac dysrhythmias
Verapamil (Calan) ADEs: - -Facial flushing
-CV effects: bradycardia, AV block, decreased contractility
-Constipation
-Peripheral edema
-Dizziness, headache
What is the safety alert for all vasodilators? - Increased risk of falls
What is the vasodilator prototype drug? - Hydralazine (Apresoline)
Hydralazine (Apresoline) Therapeutic and Pharmacologic classes? - -Therapeutic class:
Antihypertensive/HF
-Pharmacologic class: Vasodilator-selective dilation of arterioles
Hydralazine (Apresoline) MOA: - -Direct action on VSM-> selective dilation of arterioles
-Decreased peripheral resistance, decrased arterial BP, increased HR, increased myocardial contractility
Hydralazine (Apresoline) uses: - -Essential HTN
-Hypertensive crisis: can lower BP rapidly
-HF
Hydralazine (Apresoline) ADEs: - -Reflex tachycardia
-Increased fall risk
-Increased blood volume
-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-like Syndrome
What is the non-prototype vasodilator drug that is more intense than hydralazine but also has more
severe adverse effects? - Minoxidil (Loniten)
Minoxidil (Loniten) MOA: - -Direct action of selection dialtion of arterioles on VSM
, -Minoxidil first metabolizes to minoidile sulfate which causes VSM potassium channels to open and
cause efflux of potassium-> hyperpolarization of VSM cells, reducing their ability to contract->
vasodilation
Minoxidil (Loniten) uses: - severe HTN
What is the fast-acting non-prototype vasodilator drug used for hypertensive emergencies? - Sodium
nitroprusside (Nitropress)
Sodium nitroprusside (Nitropress) MOA: - Dilation of veins and arterioles
What class of drugs are known by the suffix "-statin"? - HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Which of the following drug classes is considered the most effective for lowering LDL and total
cholesterol?
-HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)
-Bile-acid sequestrants
-Fibric acid derivatives (fibrates) - HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) prototype drug - Lovastatin (Altoprev)
Lovastatin (Altoprev) therapeutic and pharmacologic classes - -Therapeutic Class:
Antihypercholesterolemia
-Pharmacologic Class: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor
Lovastatin (Altoprev) MOA: - -Increases the number of LDL receptors on hepatocytes to increase LDL
uptake->lowers LDL levels
-Inhibits hepatic HMG-CoA reductase to prevent cholesterol synthesis
Lovastatin (Altoprev) uses: - -Hypercholesterolemia:
-Reduce LDL
-Reduce TGs
-Primary and secondary prevention of CV events
-Post-MI therapy
-Diabetes
Lovastatin (Altoprev) ADEs: - -Myopathy/ Rhabdomyolysis
-Hepatotoxicity
Labs to monitor when taking Lovastatin (Altoprev) - -Liver function tests
-Creatine kinase (CK)
PRACTICE QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Week 9 -
3 therapeutic uses of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) - 1. HTN
2.Angina Pectoris
3. Cardiac Dysrhythmias
What are the 3 classifications of CCBs? - 1. Dihydropyridines
2. Phenylalkylamines
3.Benzothiazepines
What is the action of Dihydropyridines? - Acts on aterioles
What is the action of Phenylalkylamines? - Acts on arterioles and the heart
What is the action of Benzothiazepines? - Acts on arterioles and the heart
What class of CCBs is known by the suffix "-ipine"? - Dihydropyridines
What is the prototype drug for Dihydropyridines CCBs? - Nifedipine (Procardia)
Nifedipine (Procardia):
-MOA:
-Uses:
-ADEs:
-Safety Alert:
-Nursing Implications: - -MOA: Blocks calcium channels in VSM arterioles (i.e. blood vessels) to cause
vasodilation
-Uses:
-Angina Pectoris
-Essential HTN
-ADEs:
-Facial flushing
-Dizziness, headache
-Peripheral edema
-Gingival hyperplasia
,-Reflex tachycardia*
-Safety Alert: Immediate Release associated with increased mortality in Pts w/ MI and unstable angina
-Nursing Implications:
Phenylalkylamine CCB prototype drug - Verapamil (Calan)
Verapamil (Calan) MOA: - -Blocks calcium channels in arterioles (blood vessels) and in the heart
-Causes arteriole dilation, reduces arteriole pressure, increases coronary perfusion and reduces HR
Verapamil (Calan) uses: - -Angina pectoris
-Essential HTN
-Cardiac dysrhythmias
Verapamil (Calan) ADEs: - -Facial flushing
-CV effects: bradycardia, AV block, decreased contractility
-Constipation
-Peripheral edema
-Dizziness, headache
What is the safety alert for all vasodilators? - Increased risk of falls
What is the vasodilator prototype drug? - Hydralazine (Apresoline)
Hydralazine (Apresoline) Therapeutic and Pharmacologic classes? - -Therapeutic class:
Antihypertensive/HF
-Pharmacologic class: Vasodilator-selective dilation of arterioles
Hydralazine (Apresoline) MOA: - -Direct action on VSM-> selective dilation of arterioles
-Decreased peripheral resistance, decrased arterial BP, increased HR, increased myocardial contractility
Hydralazine (Apresoline) uses: - -Essential HTN
-Hypertensive crisis: can lower BP rapidly
-HF
Hydralazine (Apresoline) ADEs: - -Reflex tachycardia
-Increased fall risk
-Increased blood volume
-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus-like Syndrome
What is the non-prototype vasodilator drug that is more intense than hydralazine but also has more
severe adverse effects? - Minoxidil (Loniten)
Minoxidil (Loniten) MOA: - -Direct action of selection dialtion of arterioles on VSM
, -Minoxidil first metabolizes to minoidile sulfate which causes VSM potassium channels to open and
cause efflux of potassium-> hyperpolarization of VSM cells, reducing their ability to contract->
vasodilation
Minoxidil (Loniten) uses: - severe HTN
What is the fast-acting non-prototype vasodilator drug used for hypertensive emergencies? - Sodium
nitroprusside (Nitropress)
Sodium nitroprusside (Nitropress) MOA: - Dilation of veins and arterioles
What class of drugs are known by the suffix "-statin"? - HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors
Which of the following drug classes is considered the most effective for lowering LDL and total
cholesterol?
-HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)
-Bile-acid sequestrants
-Fibric acid derivatives (fibrates) - HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) prototype drug - Lovastatin (Altoprev)
Lovastatin (Altoprev) therapeutic and pharmacologic classes - -Therapeutic Class:
Antihypercholesterolemia
-Pharmacologic Class: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor
Lovastatin (Altoprev) MOA: - -Increases the number of LDL receptors on hepatocytes to increase LDL
uptake->lowers LDL levels
-Inhibits hepatic HMG-CoA reductase to prevent cholesterol synthesis
Lovastatin (Altoprev) uses: - -Hypercholesterolemia:
-Reduce LDL
-Reduce TGs
-Primary and secondary prevention of CV events
-Post-MI therapy
-Diabetes
Lovastatin (Altoprev) ADEs: - -Myopathy/ Rhabdomyolysis
-Hepatotoxicity
Labs to monitor when taking Lovastatin (Altoprev) - -Liver function tests
-Creatine kinase (CK)
