Nokea
A gardener needs a decongestant because of sinus problems and asks the nurse whether he should take an oral form or a nasal spray. Which of these is a benefit of orally administered decongestants?
- A. Immediate onset
- B. A more potent effect
- C. Lack of rebound congestion
- D. Shorter duration
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Drugs administered by the oral route produce prolonged decongestant effects, but the onset of action is more delayed and the effect less potent than those of decongestants applied topically. However, the clinical problem of rebound congestion associated with topically administered drugs is almost nonexistent with oral dosage forms.
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A child will be receiving diphenhydramine (Benadryl), 5 mg/kg/day, in divided doses, every 6 hours. The child weighs 80 pounds. Identify how many milligrams of medication will the child receive with each dose.
Correct Answer: 45.5 mg
Rationale: 80 pounds ?· 2.2 = 36.36 kg, which rounds to 36.4 kg; 5 mg/kg/day ?? 36.4 kg = 182 mg/day. With doses given every 6 hours, there will be 4 total doses in a 24-hour period (24 ?· 6 = 4). To calculate milligrams per dose: 182 mg/day ?· 4 doses/day = 45.5 mg/dose.
During a routine checkup, a patient states that she is unable to take the prescribed antihistamine because of one of its most common adverse effects. The nurse suspects that which adverse effect has been bothering this patient?
- A. Constipation
- B. Abdominal cramps
- C. Drowsiness
- D. Decreased libido
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Drowsiness is usually the main side effect that bothers people who take antihistamines.
A patient asks the nurse about the uses of the herbal product echinacea. Which use will the nurse include in the response?
- A. Memory enhancement
- B. Boosting the immune system
- C. Improving mood
- D. Promoting relaxation
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Common uses of echinacea include stimulation of the immune system, antisepsis, treatment of viral infections and influenza-like respiratory tract infections, and promotion of the healing of wounds and chronic ulcerations. The other options are incorrect.
When teaching a patient who will be receiving antihistamines, the nurse will include which instructions?
- A. Antihistamines are generally safe to take with over-the-counter medications.
- B. Take the medication on an empty stomach to maximize absorption of the drug.
- C. Take the medication with food to minimize gastrointestinal distress.
- D. Drink extra fluids if possible.
- E. Antihistamines may cause restlessness and disturbed sleep.
- F. Avoid activities that require alertness until you know how adverse effects are tolerated.
Correct Answer: C,D,F
Rationale: Antihistamines should be taken with food, even though this slightly reduces the absorption of the drug, so as to minimize the gastrointestinal upset that can occur. Over-the-counter medications must not be taken with an antihistamine unless approved by the physician because of the serious drug interactions that may occur. Drinking extra fluids will help to ease the removal of secretions, and activities that require alertness, such as driving, must not be engaged in until the patient knows how he or she responds to the sedating effects of antihistamines.
A patient tells the nurse that she wants to start taking the herbal product goldenseal to improve her health. The nurse will assess for which potential cautions or contraindications to goldenseal?
- A. Taking a proton-pump inhibitor
- B. Nasal congestion
- C. Hypothyroidism
- D. Taking an antihypertensive drug
- E. Sinus infections
- F. Pregnancy
Correct Answer: A,D,F
Rationale: Goldenseal is contraindicated in patients with acute or chronic gastrointestinal disorders and during pregnancy (because it has uterine stimulant properties). It should be used with caution by those with cardiovascular disorders. Potential drug interactions may occur with gastric acid suppressors such as antacids, histamine H2 blockers (e.g., ranitidine), and proton-pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole), theoretically because of their reduced effectiveness resulting from the acid-promoting effect of the herb, and with antihypertensive drugs (because of the vasoconstrictive activity of the herb). Goldenseal is potentially useful for sinus infections and chronic nasal allergies.