Nokea
A 66-year-old female with a long history of heavy smoking presents to her doctor with complaints of shortness of breath and chronic coughing that has been present for about 2 years and has been worsening in frequency. The doctor decides to prescribe a bronchodilator agent that has minimal cardiac side effects, since the patient also has an extensive cardiac history. Which medication did the doctor likely prescribe?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D: Ipratropium. Ipratropium is an anticholinergic bronchodilator that has minimal cardiac side effects. It is commonly used to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. In this case, the patient's history of heavy smoking, shortness of breath, and chronic coughing suggests a respiratory condition like COPD. Albuterol (choice A) is a short-acting beta-agonist bronchodilator that can have cardiac side effects such as palpitations and increased heart rate. Prazosin (choice B) is an alpha-blocker used for hypertension and has no bronchodilator effects. Atenolol (choice C) is a beta-blocker used for hypertension and can worsen bronchospasm in patients with respiratory conditions. Therefore, the doctor likely prescribed Ipratropium to address the patient's respiratory symptoms while minimizing cardiac side effects.