Gastrointestinal Assessment Questions Related

Review Gastrointestinal Assessment Questions related questions and content

A patient receives atropine, an anticholinergic drug, in preparation for surgery. The nurse expects this drug to affect the GI tract by doing what?

  • A. Increasing gastric emptying
  • B. Relaxing pyloric and ileocecal sphincters
  • C. Decreasing secretions and peristaltic action
  • D. Stimulating the nervous system of the GI tract
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Decreasing secretions and peristaltic action. Atropine, as an anticholinergic drug, inhibits the action of acetylcholine, leading to decreased secretions and peristaltic movement in the GI tract. This results in reduced motility and secretion production.

A: Increasing gastric emptying - This is incorrect because atropine actually slows down gastric emptying by reducing peristaltic action.
B: Relaxing pyloric and ileocecal sphincters - This is incorrect because atropine does not directly relax these sphincters.
D: Stimulating the nervous system of the GI tract - This is incorrect because atropine inhibits the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to decreased GI tract activity.