The patient is taking a beta blocker and begins to experience episodes of dizziness. In response to this the patient should:
notify the provider
Some of the beta blocker medications are known to produce dizziness as a side effect. However, the primary health care provider should be notified of this to ensure that the symptom is only a harmless side effect and not indicative of
The nurse is caring for a patient who is prescribed propranolol (Inderal). Which assessment finding will reveal if the medication is having a therapeutic effect?
the patients BP is 130/75 mm hg
Propranolol (Inderal) is nonselective�it blocks both beta1 and beta2 receptors at therapeutic doses. The medication is administered to treat hypertension. The patient's blood pressure is within normal limits, which indicate
Which patient with angina would be at increased risk for adverse effects after the administration of beta blockers?
a patient with diabetes mellitus
Which patient is likely to be prescribed beta blockers?
A cardiac patient who has had a myocardial infarction
The beta blockers block all the harmful effects of the circulating catecholamines that increase the heart rate after a myocardial infarction. Beta blockers can cause both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia
The nurse is preparing to discharge a patient who is receiving acebutolol HCl (Sectral). Which instruction will the nurse include in the medication teaching plan for this patient?
If you take your pulse and it is less than 60, hold your medicine and call your health care provider for instructions."
Acebutolol HCl (Sectral), a beta blocker, has negative chronotropic effects and could cause symptomatic bradycardia and/or heart block
The nurse is caring for a patient diagnosed with heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The patient is ordered carvedilol (Coreg). What is the nurse's primary intervention?
Call the health care provider to request a different medication
Carvedilol (Coreg) is a nonselective beta blocker used primarily in the treatment of heart failure but is also beneficial for hypertension and angina. Patients with a history of asthma, emphy
The nurse is monitoring a patient's vital signs on each visit that he makes to a health clinic. The patient has started treatment with an adrenergic blocking drug. What is the nurse's highest priority?
Measure both supine and standing blood pressures
When the patient is taking an adrenergic blocking drug, blood pressure should be monitored both supine and standing because of the tendency toward orthostatic hypotension. Also, the apical pulse should be c
The patient is being treated with an alpha blocker drug. The patient tells the nurse that he recently blacked out when getting up from his afternoon nap. What does the nurse recognize the patient is most likely experiencing?
An expected side effect of this group of medications
Orthostatic hypotension can occur with any dose of the alpha blocker drugs; patients must be warned to get up slowly from the supine position. It is not indicative of overdosage nor an allergic reaction
The patient is taking a beta blocker drug. The patient tells the nurse that he has been taking antacids frequently. The nurse recognizes that the interaction of the beta blocker and the antacid may have which result?
Decreased activity of the beta blocker
The interaction of beta blockers and antacids is known to result in decreased beta blocker activity
The nurse recognizes that the patient who is taking an adrenergic blocking drug understands the importance of avoiding other substances that may interact with the medication when the patient makes which statement?
I should avoid drinking my morning coffee while taking this drug."
The patient should increase his fluid intake to prevent constipation. Alcohol and caffeine such as that in coffee and chocolate should be avoided while on the medication. Alcohol ingestio
The patient is prescribed a beta blocker medication and is also taking a diuretic as part of his treatment regimen. The nurse anticipates that this interaction will result in which of the following?
Increased hypotension
The patient has been placed on the medication propranolol (Inderal). While the nurse is updating his medical history, the patient states that he has a history of bronchial asthma. The highest priority action on the part of the nurse should be to:
notify the prescribing physician since this is a contraindication for the patient
While completing an admission assessment, the nurse determines that a client recently diagnosed with hypertension experiences dizziness when standing. Which question is priority for the nurse to ask the client?
What medications are you currently taking?
Which patient is an unsuitable candidate for a sympathomimetic agent?
A patient who has hypertension
A patient who has hypertension is an unsuitable candidate for the administration of a sympathomimetic agent. Administration of a sympathomimetic agent in a hypertensive patient may cause further increase in blood pressure.
What is the most accurate outcome criteria for the nurse to use when determining if a patient is responding appropriately to use of an adrenergic drug?
Patient's respiratory rate is 16 breaths/minute and blood pressure is 130/72 mm Hg.
The nurse is caring for several patients who are being treated with adrenergic drugs to treat various conditions. Which patient is at greatest risk to experience an adverse reaction to the medication?
A 72-year-old patient who has an ophthalmic condition
The nurse is caring for a patient who is undergoing treatment with an alpha-adrenergic drug. The nurse is monitoring daily laboratory test results on the patient. Because of the patient's treatment with the alpha-adrenergic drug, the nurse anticipates tha
Increased level of glucose
The alpha-adrenergic drugs can cause an increase in serum levels of glucose.
The nurse is caring for a patient who has been ordered an adrenergic drug to treat asthma. When assessing the patient prior to administering the first dose of the drug, the nurse finds that the patient's blood pressure is 160/90 mm Hg. What is the nurse's
Notify the health care provider of the patient's elevated blood pressure reading.
The patient is an older adult who has been placed on a beta-adrenergic agonist. The patient complains to the nurse of experiencing headaches after being on the drug for several days. What is the nurse's highest priority action?
Notify the prescribing health care provider of the information provided by the patient.
During a cardiopulmonary resuscitation emergency, the nurse expects to administer which injectable, fast-acting medication?
Epinephrine (Adrenalin)
When teaching an 83-year-old patient about the effects of adrenergic agonists, the nurse will advise the patient to avoid which activity?
Slow jog in summer
The nurse is reviewing a patient's medical history and recognizes which conditions as usual contraindications to the use of adrenergic medications? Select all that apply.
drug allergy
hypertension
A patient diagnosed with asthma just completed an albuterol nebulizer treatment. The patient tells the nurse, "I feel like my heart is fluttering, and my hands are very shaky." What is the nurse's most appropriate action?
Explain this sensation as a side effect
Albuterol is a beta2 agonist that predominantly acts on beta2 receptors in the lungs to cause bronchodilation. Side effects include tachycardia and jitteriness, because the medication is not 100% selective on beta2
The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving intravenous epinephrine (Adrenalin). Which assessment will indicate the patient is having the expected therapeutic effect of this medication?
Increased heart rate and strong pulse
The nurse assesses a patient receiving an adrenergic (sympathomimetic) agent. Which finding will be of greatest concern to the nurse?
Weak peripheral pulses and decreased heart rate
Adrenergic agents stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which increases heart rate (positive chronotropic effect), contractility (positive inotropic effect), and conductivity (positive dromotropic effect
A patient with cardiac decompensation is receiving dobutamine as a continuous infusion. The patient's blood pressure has increased from 100/70 mm Hg to 130/80 mm Hg. What is the nurse's priority action?
Assess hourly blood pressure readings.
The major therapeutic effect of dobutamine is to increase cardiac output. Cardiac output is reflected in the patient's heart rate, blood pressure, and urine output. An increase in blood pressure is the expected thera
Which outcome would be most appropriate to establish for patients taking beta1 agonists?
Increased contractility of myocardium
Before administering an adrenergic agonist, what is the most important assessment for the nurse to complete?
Blood pressure
An adrenergic agonist causes vasoconstriction, leading to high blood pressure. Temperature, skin integrity, and respiratory rate are not directly affected by adrenergic agonists. Blood pressure is the most important assessment because of th
The nurse is caring for a patient who has acute pancreatitis. The health care provider has prescribed an anticholinergic drug. The patient asks, "How will this drug help me?" What is the nurse's best response?
It will decrease the gastric secretions.
The nurse monitors a patient prescribed dicyclomine (Bentyl) for which therapeutic effect?
Decrease in GI motility
Dicyclomine (Bentyl) is an antispasmodic cholinergic blocker used to decrease GI motility in patients with functional GI disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome.
A nurse is monitoring a patient receiving atropine. Which finding requires nursing action?
Blood pressure of 90/40 mm Hg
What system should the nurse assess to determine if bethanechol has had a therapeutic effect?
Urinary assessment
Which is the highest priority intervention for a patient admitted with glaucoma?
Administer pilocarpine
Pilocarpine is a direct-acting cholinergic agonist that constricts the pupils and opens the canal of Schlemm to promote drainage of aqueous humor. This drug is used to treat glaucoma by relieving fluid pressure in the eye and to pro
The nurse is caring for a patient who is taking a cholinergic (parasympathomimetic) drug. Which assessment will indicate that the medication is having a desired effect?
Increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility
Cholinergic effects mimic the parasympathetic nervous system (rest and digest) as opposed to the sympathetic nervous system (fight or flight). Increasing GI motility helps the digestive process.
The nurse administers atropine (generic), 0.5 mg IV push to a patient with sinus bradycardia. Which instruction will the nurse include in patient teaching?
Use ice chips to relieve dry mouth
Blockade of muscarinic receptors in salivary glands can inhibit salivation, leading to xerostomia (dry mouth). Ice chips are one means of managing dry mouth. The nurse instructs the patient to eat ice chips rather than c
Which finding is a therapeutic effect of atropine (generic)?
Increased heart rate
The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving anticholinergic drug therapy. The patient states, "I feel hot but have not been able to sweat." What advice does the nurse give to the patient?
Stay out of the heat and humidity.
The nurse is assessing a patient who is receiving anticholinergic drug therapy. The nurse notes that the patient has dry skin, dry oral mucous membranes, and mydriasis. What will the nurse infer from the symptoms?
The patient had an overdose of the drug.
A patient who is scheduled for an endoscopy is administered atropine prior to the procedure. What is the reason for giving atropine to the patient?
Atropine reduces salivation in the mouth.
Atropine is administered prior to endoscopy in order to reduce salivation which may aid in inserting the endoscope.
The nurse is conducting an assessment of an elderly patient with sinus bradycardia who is taking an anticholinergic medication. The patient tells the nurse, "I can feel my head shaking involuntarily." What should the nurse's response be?
May be you took an extra dose of the medication."
Anticholinergic medication when administered in higher doses may cause tremors, which are common in elderly patients as they are more sensitive to anticholinergics effects. Tremors are usually associated
An elderly patient with an overactive bladder is treated with anticholinergic drugs. Which clinical presentations are suggestive of complications of anticholinergic drugs? Select all that apply.
dry mouth
tachycardia
blurred vision
Which adverse reaction will the nurse monitor for in a patient taking bethanechol (Urecholine) for treatment of urinary retention
Syncope
Adverse effects include syncope, hypotension with reflex tachycardia, headache, seizure, gastrointestinal upset, and asthmatic attacks. Miosis may result from use of bethanechol, not mydriasis.
Which condition is treated with bethanechol (Urecholine) in a postoperative patient?
Urinary atony
The nurse is preparing to administer bethanechol (Urecholine) to a patient. Which information in the patient's history prompts the nurse to collaborate with the primary health care provider before giving the drug?
Asthma
Muscarinic agonists induce bronchospasm, which would cause problems for a client with a history of asthma. Constipation is an adverse effect of cholinergic-blocking drugs
The nurse prepares to administer bethanechol (Urecholine) to a patient who underwent surgery 1 day ago. Which subjective patient assessment data is a contraindication to the use of this drug?
History of asthma
The nurse administers pilocarpine (Pilocar) ophthalmic drops to a patient. For which clinical indicator does the nurse monitor as a means of evaluating the therapeutic effectiveness of the ophthalmic treatment?
A parasympathomimetic agent such as pilocarpine causes activation of muscarinic receptors in the eye, producing miosis, or pupillary constriction, and contraction of the ciliary muscle, which results in accommodation for near vision.Constricted pupils
The nurse advises a patient who is taking cholinergic drugs to avoid standing immediately and to take an upright position slowly. Which complication associated with the drug is the nurse trying to prevent?
Postural hypotension
The main adverse effect of cholinergic drugs in the patient is postural hypotension, which results in dizziness and fainting. This effect can be decreased by changing positions slowly when taking an upright position.
The primary health care provider has recommended 0.75 g of ciprofloxacin (Cipro) orally b.i.d. The available dosage form is 250 mg tablets. How many tablets of ciprofloxacin (Cipro) should be given to the patient? Record your answer using a whole number.
3
The primary health care provider instructs the nurse to administer 1 milligram (mg) of medicine to a patient. How many grams of medicine would the nurse administer?
.001 g
Adrenergic agents that are used on clients with COPD and difficulty breathing such as albuterol (Proventil) work therapeutically for these clients because they:
causes bronchodilation
The nurse is administering Atropine preoperatively to decrease a client's secretions. What would be the most essential assessment prior to administration of this medication?
listen to bowel sounds
When monitoring a client who is taking the beta blocker nadolol (Corgard) which side effect would the nurse expect if the dose were too high?
hypotension
Client instructions for someone going home taking carvedilol (Coreg) would include that they should report what immediately?
dizziness
Which vital sign would concern the nurse the most for a client who is receiving dopamine (Intropin) IV continuously?
BP of 162/100
What type of medication would be most useful for decreasing spasms in the GI tract?
anticholinergic
A client is having trouble urinating. Based on this knowledge, what type of medication would the nurse expect to be ordered for this client to help with bladder emptying?
cholinergic
Which would be noted during a parasympathetic nervous system response?
#NAME?
If you were in a stressful situation, your physiological symptoms are related to what type of nervous system response?
sympathetic
Which client would most concern the nurse if they were to take pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)? A client with:
hypertension
If the nurse suppresses the Sympathetic Response by administering a drug that blocks the receptors, the blood pressure would:
decrease
Which would be noted during a sympathetic nervous system response?
#NAME?
For which client would an order for bethanechol chloride (Urecholine), a cholinergic agonist used to help with bladder emptying, be contraindicated? A client:
ashtma