ATI RN
Cardiovascular Drugs Nursing Pharmacology Questions
Question 1 of 5
A client who has a parietal lobe injury is being evaluated for psychiatric rehabilitation needs. Of the aspects of functioning listed, which will the nurse identify as a focus of nursing intervention?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The parietal lobe is responsible for associating and processing sensory information that allows for functions such as following directions on a map, reading a clock, dressing self, keeping appointments, and distinguishing right from left. 1. Emotional expression is associated with frontal lobe function. 2. Detecting auditory stimuli is a temporal lobe function. 3. Receiving visual images is related to occipital lobe function.
Question 2 of 5
While assessing a patient who is receiving intravenous digitalis, the nurse recognizes that the drug has a negative chronotropic effect. How would this drug effect be evident in the patient?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Intravenous digitalis, such as digoxin, exerts a negative chronotropic effect by slowing down the heart rate. This is due to its action on the sinoatrial (SA) node, reducing the firing rate of the heart's natural pacemaker. This effect is evident in patients as a decreased heart rate, which is the correct answer (B). Option A, decreased blood pressure, is not directly related to the chronotropic effect of digitalis. While digitalis can indirectly impact blood pressure through its effects on cardiac output, the primary effect being tested in this question is the drug's chronotropic effect. Option C, decreased conduction, is more related to drugs affecting the conductivity of the heart's electrical system, such as antiarrhythmics, rather than digitalis, which primarily affects heart rate. Option D, decreased ectopic beats, is not a direct result of digitalis' negative chronotropic effect. Ectopic beats are abnormal heartbeats originating outside the SA node, and while digitalis can have antiarrhythmic properties, its primary chronotropic effect does not directly address ectopic beats. Understanding the effects of cardiovascular drugs, like digitalis, is crucial in nursing pharmacology to ensure safe and effective patient care. Nurses must be able to recognize and anticipate the specific impacts of medications on the cardiovascular system to monitor patients effectively and intervene if necessary.
Question 3 of 5
When monitoring a patient who is taking hydrochlorothiazide (HydroDIURIL), the nurse notes that which drug is most likely to cause a severe interaction with the diuretic?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: There is an increased risk for digitalis toxicity in the presence of hypokalemia, which may develop with hydrochlorothiazide therapy. Potassium supplements are often prescribed with hydrochlorothiazide therapy to prevent hypokalemia. The other options do not have interactions with hydrochlorothiazide.
Question 4 of 5
Pharmacokinetics is:
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: In the context of pharmacology, pharmacokinetics refers to the study of how the body processes a drug. The correct answer, B) The study of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs, is right because it specifically focuses on the key processes involved in drug disposition within the body. Option A) The study of biological and therapeutic effects of drugs, is incorrect because it pertains more to pharmacodynamics, which involves understanding how drugs interact with the body to produce their effects. Option C) The study of mechanisms of drug action, is incorrect as it also falls under pharmacodynamics, dealing with how drugs exert their effects at a cellular or molecular level. Option D) The study of methods of new drug development, is incorrect as it refers to pharmacology research related to discovering and developing new drugs rather than specifically focusing on how drugs are processed within the body. Understanding pharmacokinetics is crucial for nurses as it helps in determining the appropriate dosing regimens, anticipating potential drug interactions, and assessing the impact of patient-specific factors on drug effectiveness and safety. It forms the basis for individualizing drug therapy to optimize patient outcomes.
Question 5 of 5
The substance binding to one receptor subtype as an agonist and to another as an antagonist is called:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: In pharmacology, understanding the concept of a substance binding to different receptor subtypes is crucial for effective medication management. The correct answer to the question is C) Agonist-antagonist. This term describes a substance that can act as an agonist at one type of receptor while simultaneously acting as an antagonist at another type of receptor. This dual action is particularly relevant in the context of drugs that have mixed effects on different receptor subtypes. Competitive antagonist (A) refers to a substance that competes with an agonist for binding to a receptor, thereby blocking the agonist's effects. Irreversible antagonist (B) irreversibly binds to a receptor, rendering it unavailable for agonist binding. Partial agonist (D) is a substance that activates a receptor but produces a submaximal response compared to a full agonist. In a clinical setting, understanding the concept of a substance binding to different receptor subtypes can guide healthcare providers in predicting the effects of a drug and managing potential interactions. This knowledge is particularly relevant when selecting medications for patients with complex conditions that may benefit from drugs with dual agonist-antagonist actions.