Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (7th Edition by Amy Karch)

A patient is admitted to the emergency department with severe recurrent convulsive seizures. What drug would the nurse expect to be ordered for use in emergency control of status epilepticus? A) Phenytoin (Dilantin) B) Diazepam (Valium) C) Phenobarbital (Luminal) D) Ethosuximide (Zarontin) Ans: C Feedback: Phenobarbital is used for emergency control of status epilepticus. This barbiturate inhibits impulse conduction in the ascending reticular activating system (RAS), depresses the cerebral cortex, alters cerebellar function, and depresses motor nerve output. Phenobarbital stabilizes nerve membranes throughout the central nervous system (CNS) directly by influencing ionic channels in the cell membrane, thereby decreasing excitability and hyperexcitability to stimulation. By decreasing conduction through nerve pathways, it reduces the tonicclonic, muscular, and emotional responses to stimulation. Phenobarbital depresses conduction in the lower brainstem and the cerebral cortex and depresses motor conduction. Phenytoin is used to prevent status epilepticus but is not used to stop seizures after they have started; diazepam is used for short-term treatment of status epilepticus