A nurse is preparing to administer a prescribed medication to a client. The nurse integrates knowledge of which of the following as a possible factor that could influence the drug response? Select all that apply.
- A. Age
- B. Polypharmacy
- C. Weight
- D. Sex
- E. Disease
Correct Answer: A,B,C,D,E
Rationale: Drug response can be influenced by the following factors: age, polypharmacy, weight, sex, disease, and genetics.
You may also like to solve these questions
The nurse administers a prescribed medication that is supplied as an enteric-coated tablet. The patient asks the nurse about this form of tablet. When describing how this tablet is absorbed, which response by the nurse would be most accurate?
- A. The medication dissolves directly from the stomach into the body.
- B. The drug breaks up into pieces as it moves through the stomach.
- C. The medication bypasses the GI tract and goes quickly into the bloodstream.
- D. The drug dissolves into fragments after it reaches your small intestine.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Enteric-coated tablets disintegrate or fragment after reaching the alkaline medium of the small intestine. Tablets and capsules break up into small particles and dissolve into body fluids in the gastrointestinal tract. Liquids and parenteral drugs are quickly absorbed into the body system.
A patient is considering using herbal supplements and asks the nurse about them. Which response by the nurse would be most appropriate?
- A. Herbal supplements are safe to use because they are regulated closely.
- B. Herbal supplements can affect the way other medications will act.
- C. Taking more than the recommended amount usually is not harmful because they are natural.
- D. The risk of the supplement interacting with any prescription medications is extremely low.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse needs to explain to the patient that just because an herbal supplement is labeled 'natural' does not mean the supplement is safe or without harmful effects. Herbal supplements can act the same way as drugs and can cause medical problems if not used correctly or if taken in large amounts. Herbal supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so products lack standardization in relation to purity and potency. In addition, the patient should be warned not to take more than the recommended dose of any herbal health product or supplement. The problems that these products can cause are much more likely to occur if the patient takes too much or takes them for too long.
Which of the following would the nurse identify as a factor that alters drug response in children and infants? Select all that apply.
- A. Slower gastric emptying
- B. Greater surface area
- C. Less protein binding
- D. Decreased body water content
- E. Less cutaneous fat
Correct Answer: A,B,C,E
Rationale: Children and infants are not small adults; therefore, they have altered pharmacokinetics. Factors that alter pharmacokinetics in children include slower gastric emptying, less cutaneous fat, greater surface area, increased body water content, less protein binding, and immature hepatic and renal function.
After teaching a group of nursing students about pharmacokinetics, the instructor determines that the teaching was successful when the students identify which of the following as a phase? Select all that apply.
- A. Absorption
- B. Distribution
- C. Administration
- D. Metabolism
- E. Excretion
Correct Answer: A,B,D,E
Rationale: The pharmacokinetic phases are absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. The acronym ADME is a helpful way to remember the pharmacokinetic phases.
A patient arrives at the health care clinic and informs the nurse that he has consumed several aspirin tablets for a severe headache over the past 24 hours. The nurse would be alert for which of the following as a harmful effect?
- A. Gastrointestinal bleeding
- B. Breathing difficulties
- C. Visual disturbances
- D. Loss of balance
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Aspirin is potentially harmful and can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and salicylism. Breathing difficulties, visual disturbances, and loss of balance could be due to an illness or the effects of some other drug.
Nokea