C HAPTER 22: A NTIHYPERTENSIVE D RUGS
Lilley: Pharmacology and the Nursing Process, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient’s blood pressure elevates to 270/150 mm Hg, and a hype rtensive
emergency is obvious. He is transferred to the intensive care unit and
started on a sodium nitroprusside drip to be titrated per his response. With
this medication, the nurse knows that the maximum dose of this drug
should be infused for how long?
a. 10 minutes
b. 30 minutes
c. 1 hour
d. 24 hours
ANS: A
Sodium nitroprusside is a potent vasodilator and may lead to extreme
decreases in the patient ’s blood pressure. For this reason, it is never
infused at the maximum dose for more than 10 minutes. If this drug
does not control a patient ’s blood pressure after 10 minutes, it will
most likel y be ordered to be discontinued. The other times listed are
incorrect.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic al Integrit y: Pharmacological and
Parenteral Therapies
, 2. A patient with primary hypertension is prescribed drug therapy for the
first time. The patient asks how long drug therapy will be needed. Which
answer by the nurse is the correct response?
a. “This therapy will take about 3 months. ”
b. “This therapy will take about a year. ”
c. “This therapy will go on until your symptoms disappear. ”
d. “Therapy for high blood pressure is usually lifelong. ”
ANS: D
There is no cure for the disease, and treatment will be lifelong. T he
other answers are not appropriate.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NC LEX: Physiological Integrit y: Pharmacological and
Parenteral Therapies
3. A patient who has been taking antihypertensive dru gs for a few months
states that a new, persistent dry cough is very bothersome. The nurse
knows that this cough is an adverse effect of which class of
antihypertensive drugs?
a. Beta blockers
b. Angiotensin-converting enz yme (ACE) inhibitors
c. Angiotensin II recep tor blockers (ARBs)
d. Calcium channel blockers
ANS: B
ACE inhibitors cause a characteristic dry, nonproductive cough that
reverses when therapy is stopped. The other drug classes do not cause
this cough.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
Lilley: Pharmacology and the Nursing Process, 10th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient’s blood pressure elevates to 270/150 mm Hg, and a hype rtensive
emergency is obvious. He is transferred to the intensive care unit and
started on a sodium nitroprusside drip to be titrated per his response. With
this medication, the nurse knows that the maximum dose of this drug
should be infused for how long?
a. 10 minutes
b. 30 minutes
c. 1 hour
d. 24 hours
ANS: A
Sodium nitroprusside is a potent vasodilator and may lead to extreme
decreases in the patient ’s blood pressure. For this reason, it is never
infused at the maximum dose for more than 10 minutes. If this drug
does not control a patient ’s blood pressure after 10 minutes, it will
most likel y be ordered to be discontinued. The other times listed are
incorrect.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Planning
MSC: NC LEX: Physiologic al Integrit y: Pharmacological and
Parenteral Therapies
, 2. A patient with primary hypertension is prescribed drug therapy for the
first time. The patient asks how long drug therapy will be needed. Which
answer by the nurse is the correct response?
a. “This therapy will take about 3 months. ”
b. “This therapy will take about a year. ”
c. “This therapy will go on until your symptoms disappear. ”
d. “Therapy for high blood pressure is usually lifelong. ”
ANS: D
There is no cure for the disease, and treatment will be lifelong. T he
other answers are not appropriate.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
TOP: Nursing Process: Implementation
MSC: NC LEX: Physiological Integrit y: Pharmacological and
Parenteral Therapies
3. A patient who has been taking antihypertensive dru gs for a few months
states that a new, persistent dry cough is very bothersome. The nurse
knows that this cough is an adverse effect of which class of
antihypertensive drugs?
a. Beta blockers
b. Angiotensin-converting enz yme (ACE) inhibitors
c. Angiotensin II recep tor blockers (ARBs)
d. Calcium channel blockers
ANS: B
ACE inhibitors cause a characteristic dry, nonproductive cough that
reverses when therapy is stopped. The other drug classes do not cause
this cough.
DIF: Cognitive Level: Understanding (Comprehension)
