Nokea
A patient who has been taking antihypertensive drugs for a few months states that a new, persistent dry cough is very bothersome. The nurse knows that this cough is an adverse effect of which class of antihypertensive drugs?
- A. Beta blockers
- B. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors
- C. Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs)
- D. Calcium channel blockers
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: ACE inhibitors cause a characteristic dry, nonproductive cough that reverses when therapy is stopped. The other drug classes do not cause this cough.
You may also like to solve these questions
A patient's blood pressure elevates to 270/150 mm Hg, and a hypertensive emergency is obvious. He is transferred to the intensive care unit and started on a sodium nitroprusside drip to be titrated per his response. With this medication, the nurse knows that the maximum dose of this drug should be infused for how long?
- A. 10 minutes
- B. 30 minutes
- C. 1 hour
- D. 24 hours
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sodium nitroprusside is a potent vasodilator and may lead to extreme decreases in the patient's blood pressure. For this reason, it is never infused at the maximum dose for more than 10 minutes. If this drug does not control a patient's blood pressure after 10 minutes, it will most likely be ordered to be discontinued. The other times listed are incorrect.
When teaching a patient about antihypertensive drug therapy, which statements by the nurse are correct?
- A. You need to have your blood pressure checked once a week and keep track of the readings.
- B. If you notice that the symptoms have gone away, you should be able to stop taking the drug.
- C. An exercise program may be helpful in treating hypertension, but let's check with your doctor first.
- D. If you experience severe side effects, stop the medicine and let us know at your next office visit.
- E. Most over-the-counter decongestants are compatible with antihypertensive drugs.
- F. Please continue taking the medication, even if you are feeling better.
Correct Answer: A,C,F
Rationale: Keeping a record of weekly blood pressure checks helps to monitor the effectiveness of the therapy. An exercise program may be beneficial but should be confirmed with the prescriber. Therapy is often lifelong, and patients should continue taking the medication even if feeling better to prevent rebound hypertension. Abruptly stopping medication or assuming over-the-counter decongestants are safe can lead to serious complications.
An older adult patient will be taking a vasodilator for hypertension. Which adverse effect is of most concern for the older adult patient taking this class of drug?
- A. Dry mouth
- B. Restlessness
- C. Constipation
- D. Hypotension
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The older adult patient is more sensitive to the blood pressure-lowering effects of vasodilators, and consequently experiences more problems with hypotension, dizziness, and syncope. The other options are incorrect.
A patient is to receive enalapril 5 mg IV every 6 hours. Each dose is given over 5 minutes. The medication is available in an injectable form, 1.25 mg/mL. Identify how many milliliters of medication will the nurse draw up for each dose.
Correct Answer: 4 mL
Rationale: 1.25 mg : 1 mL :: 5 mg : x mL; (1.25 * x) = (1 * 5); 1.25x = 5; x = 4 mL.
When counseling a male patient about the possible adverse effects of antihypertensive drugs, the nurse will discuss which potential problem?
- A. Impotence
- B. Bradycardia
- C. Increased libido
- D. Weight gain
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sexual dysfunction is a common complication of antihypertensive medications and may be manifested in men as decreased libido or impotence. The other options are incorrect.