Chapter 23- Ant seizure Agents Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (7th Edition by Amy Karch)

Chapter 23- Antiseizure Agents 1. 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. Ethosuximide is used for absence seizures. 2. The pharmacology instructor is discussing drugs used for the treatment of partial seizures. What accurately describes the physiological action of carbamazepine? A) Reduces electrical activity B) Alters sodium and calcium channels C) Increases gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) activity and blocks sodium and calcium channels to stop action potentials D) Depresses conduction in the brainstem and cortex Ans: C Feedback: Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (7th Edition by Amy Karch) 371 Carbamazepine increases GABA activity and blocks sodium and calcium channels to stop action potentials. Succinimides reduce electrical activity. Acetazolamides reduce electrical activity and alter sodium and calcium channels. Barbiturates depress conduction in the brainstem and the cortex. 3. A 7-year-old girl is brought to the clinic by her mother. The mother states that the child will be engaged in some activity at home and then will just stop for a few seconds and then pick up the activity again as if there had been no break in what she was doing. The nurse suspects the child might be demonstrating what type of seizure?