A nurse is preparing to give an oral dose of drug X to treat a patient's high blood
pressure. After giving the drug, the nurse finds that it not only reduces the blood
pressure without serious harmful effects, but it also causes the patient to have
nausea and headache. Based on this information, which property of an ideal drug is
this drug lacking?
A. Effectiveness
B. Safety
C. Selectivity
D. Ease of administration
-The drug is effective in lowering the blood pressure and safe in that it does not cause
harmful effects. However, as do most drugs, it causes other effects besides the one
response desired; therefore, it lacks selectivity. The oral form provides ease of
administration.
The nurse is preparing to give a drug with certain properties. Which property of the
drug is the most compelling indication that it should not be given?
A. The drug produces an unwanted side effect.
B. The drug is difficult to administer.
C. The drug's effects are reversible.
D. The drug is not effective for its intended purpose.
,-If a drug is not effective, there is no justification for giving it. Some drugs may be
given even though they produce unwanted side effects or are difficult to administer.
Reversible action is a desired property for most drugs.
Why is it important for drugs to have ease of administration?
A. Fewer administration errors
B. Less risk of side effects
C. Greater chemical stability
D. Greater likelihood of reversibility
-Ease of administration increases convenience and adherence and can reduce
administration errors. Ease of administration is not related to side effects, chemical
stability, or reversibility.
The nurse teaches a patient not to consume alcohol with nitroglycerine, because the
blood pressure often drops significantly when nitroglycerine is taken with alcohol.
Which drug property does this illustrate?
A. Chemical instability
B. Drug interaction
C. Reversible action
D. Drug selectivity
-When two or more drugs are taken together, they can interact, causing either
increased or decreased drug responses. In this case, alcohol would increase the
nitroglycerine response. Chemical instability, reversible action, and drug selectivity
are not related to this situation.
,When studying the impact a drug has on the body, the nurse is reviewing what?
A. The drug's pharmacokinetics
B. The drug's selectivity
C. The drug's pharmacodynamics
D. The drug's predictability.
-Pharmacodynamics can be thought of as the impact of drugs on the body.
Pharmacokinetics describes the movement of drugs through the body. Selectivity is
the ability of a drug to elicit only the response for which it is given. Predictability is
the degree of certainty about how a patient will respond to a certain drug.
When studying the effects of drugs in humans, the nurse is learning about what?
A. Pharmacology
B. Clinical pharmacology
C. Therapeutics
D. Effectiveness
-Clinical pharmacology is the study of the effects of drugs in humans. Pharmacology
can be defined as the study of drugs and their interactions with living systems.
Therapeutics, also known as pharmacotherapeutics, is the use of drugs to diagnose,
prevent, or treat disease or to prevent pregnancy. The term effectiveness indicates
that the drug elicits the intended response or responses.
, Which statement by a new nurse indicates that further study is indicated?
A. Effectiveness is the most important property a drug can have.
B. There is no such thing as a safe drug.
C. Drugs are defined as illegal substances.
D. There is no such thing as a selective drug; all medications cause side effects.
-A drug is any chemical that can affect living processes. All the other statements are
correct.
What is the ultimate concern for the nurse when administering a drug?
A. Intensity of the response
B. Dosage
C. Route of administration
D. Timing of administration
-The ultimate concern for the nurse when administering a drug is the intensity of the
response, which is determined by the dosage size, route of administration, and
timing of administration.
What is the objective of drug therapy?
A. To provide maximum benefit with minimal harm
B. To provide minimum benefit with maximum harm
C. To provide total relief of symptoms regardless of harm
D. To provide as much benefit as possible