ATI RN
ATI Intro to Pharmacology Quizlet Questions
Question 1 of 9
A patient arrives in the emergency department with severe chest pain. The patient reports that the pain has been occurring off and on for a week now. Which assessment finding would indicate the need for cautious use of nitrates and nitrites?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A patient arriving in the emergency department with severe chest pain and a history of episodic chest pain over the past week may be experiencing a myocardial infarction or other serious cardiac event. Nitrates and nitrites are commonly used to manage chest pain in such situations because they help dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow to the heart, and reduce the workload on the heart.
Question 2 of 9
Action of anticholinergic drugs:
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Atropine sulfate is an anticholinergic drug that antagonizes the action of acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors. By blocking the parasympathetic nervous system, atropine produces various effects including decreased salivation, increased heart rate, bronchodilation, and mydriasis (pupillary dilation). These properties make atropine useful in treating conditions such as bradycardia, poisoning with certain toxins, and for dilation of the pupil during eye exams.
Question 3 of 9
The nurse is managing the care of a group of patients with schizophrenia. The patients are receiving conventional antipsychotic medications. When assessing for anticholinergic side effects, which would the nurse immediately report to the physician?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Conventional antipsychotics like haloperidol have anticholinergic effects, including dry mouth, constipation, and urinary retention. Urinary retention is a medical emergency if severe, risking bladder damage or infection, requiring immediate physician reporting. Acute dystonia is an extrapyramidal side effect, not anticholinergic, though urgent. Severe headache could indicate various issues but isn't a typical anticholinergic effect. Hypertension isn't directly linked to anticholinergic action (hypotension is more common). The nurse prioritizes urinary retention due to its potential for rapid complications, aligning with anticholinergic pharmacology, making choice D the most critical to report.
Question 4 of 9
A patient taking SMZ/TMP asks the nurse what the name means. The nurse replies sulfamethoxazole is combined with trimethoprim in SMZ/TMP to help the drug effectiveness. How does this work?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: SMZ/TMP (sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim) works synergistically to inhibit bacterial folate synthesis at two different steps, making it effective against a broad spectrum of gram-positive and gram-negative organisms. It does not act as an anesthetic (A), displace trimethoprim (B), or increase excretion in the bladder (C). The combination enhances antibacterial activity and reduces the risk of resistance.
Question 5 of 9
The physician has prescribed sertraline (Zoloft) for the patient who is anxious and depressed. The patient calls the nurse to report that he has experienced delayed ejaculation since being on this medication. What is the best response by the nurse?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Sertraline, an SSRI, often causes sexual side effects like delayed ejaculation-common, per patient data-but depression treatment outweighs this for now. Switching is an option, not immediate. Suicide risk from stopping is possible but not assumed. It rarely resolves alone-management varies. Prioritizing depression balances care, per guidelines.
Question 6 of 9
Biperiden hydrochloride (Akineton) is added to a list of antiparkinsonian medications that an elderly client is taking. Which of the following instructions made by the nurse that needs further learning?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Walking in the morning for direct sunlight is unrelated to the use of biperiden hydrochloride (Akineton) and does not address its side effects or therapeutic effects. Avoiding alcohol and caffeine, managing dry mouth, and increasing fiber and fluid intake are appropriate instructions. Therefore, the statement about sunlight indicates a need for further learning.
Question 7 of 9
Which one of the following CNS receptors is directly coupled to an ion channel so that the effects of its activation do not involve second messenger systems?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Nicotinic acetylcholine (N ACh) receptors are ligand-gated ion channels, directly opening to allow sodium and potassium flux upon acetylcholine binding, producing rapid effects without second messengers—key in neuromuscular transmission. Alpha-adrenergic (a NE) receptors couple to G-proteins, using second messengers like IP3 or cAMP. D2A dopamine receptors inhibit adenylate cyclase via Gi proteins, involving cAMP. Mu opioid receptors (µ) also use Gi proteins, reducing cAMP and opening potassium channels indirectly. 5HT2 serotonin receptors activate phospholipase C, generating IP3. The nicotinic receptor's direct ion channel linkage distinguishes it, enabling fast synaptic responses without the delay of intracellular signaling cascades.
Question 8 of 9
A patient arrives in the emergency department with severe chest pain. The patient reports that the pain has been occurring off and on for a week now. Which assessment finding would indicate the need for cautious use of nitrates and nitrites?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: A patient arriving in the emergency department with severe chest pain and a history of episodic chest pain over the past week may be experiencing a myocardial infarction or other serious cardiac event. Nitrates and nitrites are commonly used to manage chest pain in such situations because they help dilate blood vessels, improve blood flow to the heart, and reduce the workload on the heart.
Question 9 of 9
What is the therapeutic action of Phenytoin?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Phenytoin is an anticonvulsant medication commonly used in the treatment of seizures, including tonic-clonic (grand mal) seizures, complex partial seizures, and seizures occurring during neurosurgery. It works by stabilizing the excitable cell membranes in the brain, thereby reducing abnormal electrical activity that can lead to seizures. Phenytoin is not used as an antidiabetic, mood stabilizer, or antianxiety agent.