Geriatric Chapter 7 Medications and
Older Adults Quiz Study Questions and
Answers
1. The nurse is aware that information derived from a pharmaceutical company's drug testing to
establish therapeutic dose ranges may not be appropriate for the older adult because testing:
a. is not done long enough.
b. does not require adequate follow-up.
c. is not well regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
d. is usually tested on healthy young persons. - ANSWER - ANS: D
Long and rigorously regulated drug testing procedures most often use healthy young adults as
drug testers.
2. The nurse assesses the older adult patient for evidence of the onset of the effectiveness of
an oral preparation because age-related changes in the concentration of gastric acid can:
a. change the chemical composition of the drug.
b. increase the distribution.
c. decrease the strength of the drug.
d. retard absorption. - ANSWER - ANS: D
Decreased gastric acid can decrease the speed of absorption.
3. The nurse is aware that age-related changes in the stomach that can cause increased drug
absorption and possibly toxicity include:
a. decreased gastric motility.
b. gastric reflux disease.
c. inability of gastric cells to transport the drug.
d. decreased peristalsis. - ANSWER - ANS: A
, Decreased motility leaves the drug in contact with the gastric mucosa for a longer period of
time, which leads to increased absorption. Peristalsis is rhythmic movements of the bowels.
4. To help prevent lithium toxicity in the older adult, the nurse modifies the nursing care plan to
include interventions to:
a. increase fluid intake to 3500 mL daily.
b. have the patient ambulate for 10 minutes after the drug is administered.
c. prohibit citrus fruit in the diet.
d. administer a prescribed stool softener to ensure a daily bowel movement - ANSWER - ANS: A
Increase of fluids will help allow water-soluble drugs such as lithium to be diluted in the
bloodstream more effectively and excreted more rapidly.
5. The nurse takes into consideration that as adipose tissue replaces muscle mass in the older
adult, a person taking a fat-soluble drug such as diazepam (Valium) several times a day would
exhibit:
a. tachycardia.
b. a hangover effect.
c. agitation.
d. hypertension. - ANSWER - ANS: B
Fat-soluble drugs become trapped in the adipose tissue and are slowly released into the
bloodstream, increasing the drug's concentration.
6. The nurse cautions the older adult who is taking the protein-bound drug warfarin (Coumadin)
that, with age-related reduced plasma protein levels, the risk of an adverse reaction is high
because:
a. unbound active drug molecules continue to circulate in the bloodstream.
b. the bleeding and clotting times will decrease, as evidenced by the PT and INR.
c. the drug becomes ineffective and does not deliver its intended therapeutic action.
d. renal damage can occur from the altered drug molecules. - ANSWER - ANS: A
Older Adults Quiz Study Questions and
Answers
1. The nurse is aware that information derived from a pharmaceutical company's drug testing to
establish therapeutic dose ranges may not be appropriate for the older adult because testing:
a. is not done long enough.
b. does not require adequate follow-up.
c. is not well regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
d. is usually tested on healthy young persons. - ANSWER - ANS: D
Long and rigorously regulated drug testing procedures most often use healthy young adults as
drug testers.
2. The nurse assesses the older adult patient for evidence of the onset of the effectiveness of
an oral preparation because age-related changes in the concentration of gastric acid can:
a. change the chemical composition of the drug.
b. increase the distribution.
c. decrease the strength of the drug.
d. retard absorption. - ANSWER - ANS: D
Decreased gastric acid can decrease the speed of absorption.
3. The nurse is aware that age-related changes in the stomach that can cause increased drug
absorption and possibly toxicity include:
a. decreased gastric motility.
b. gastric reflux disease.
c. inability of gastric cells to transport the drug.
d. decreased peristalsis. - ANSWER - ANS: A
, Decreased motility leaves the drug in contact with the gastric mucosa for a longer period of
time, which leads to increased absorption. Peristalsis is rhythmic movements of the bowels.
4. To help prevent lithium toxicity in the older adult, the nurse modifies the nursing care plan to
include interventions to:
a. increase fluid intake to 3500 mL daily.
b. have the patient ambulate for 10 minutes after the drug is administered.
c. prohibit citrus fruit in the diet.
d. administer a prescribed stool softener to ensure a daily bowel movement - ANSWER - ANS: A
Increase of fluids will help allow water-soluble drugs such as lithium to be diluted in the
bloodstream more effectively and excreted more rapidly.
5. The nurse takes into consideration that as adipose tissue replaces muscle mass in the older
adult, a person taking a fat-soluble drug such as diazepam (Valium) several times a day would
exhibit:
a. tachycardia.
b. a hangover effect.
c. agitation.
d. hypertension. - ANSWER - ANS: B
Fat-soluble drugs become trapped in the adipose tissue and are slowly released into the
bloodstream, increasing the drug's concentration.
6. The nurse cautions the older adult who is taking the protein-bound drug warfarin (Coumadin)
that, with age-related reduced plasma protein levels, the risk of an adverse reaction is high
because:
a. unbound active drug molecules continue to circulate in the bloodstream.
b. the bleeding and clotting times will decrease, as evidenced by the PT and INR.
c. the drug becomes ineffective and does not deliver its intended therapeutic action.
d. renal damage can occur from the altered drug molecules. - ANSWER - ANS: A
