A patient has just received a prescription for an enteric-coated stool softener. When teaching the patient, the nurse should include which statement?

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Enteric-coated medications are designed to resist dissolution in the stomach and release the active ingredient in the intestines. Chewing or crushing the tablet can compromise the coating, leading to premature drug release and potential irritation of the stomach lining. Therefore, the nurse should instruct the patient to swallow the tablet whole without chewing. Taking the tablet with orange juice or avoiding other medications is not necessary, and crushing the tablet is contraindicated. Proper administration ensures the medication's effectiveness and minimizes the risk of adverse effects.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: Phenelzine, an MAOI, risks hypertensive crisis or serotonin syndrome with drugs increasing monoamines. Levodopa raises catecholamines, risking hypertension with MAOIs. Ropinirole, a dopamine agonist, may enhance monoamine effects, potentially hazardous. Tolcapone, a COMT inhibitor, increases levodopa levels, amplifying MAOI risks. Pseudoephedrine, a sympathomimetic, causes severe hypertension. Propofol, an anesthetic, acts via GABA without monoamine interaction, making it least likely to cause adverse effects with phenelzine. Its safety profile here is key for procedural use in MAOI patients.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: Warfarin is highly bioavailable (near 100%), so 90% is close and true. It doesn't inactivate vitamin K but inhibits vitamin K epoxide reductase, reducing clotting factor synthesis, making that false. It can paradoxically cause venous thrombosis (e.g., skin necrosis) early in therapy due to protein C depletion, a true statement. Initial loading is typically 5-10 mg, not 0.5 mg, so that's false. Metronidazole increases its effect via metabolism inhibition, not bactericidal action. The thrombosis risk is a rare but serious side effect, highlighting the need for bridging with heparin during initiation.

Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Finasteride (Proscar), a 5-alpha reductase inhibitor, reduces prostate size in benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by blocking dihydrotestosterone (DHT) production, shrinking glandular tissue and easing urinary obstruction. Relaxing penile smooth muscle is the role of phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors like sildenafil, not finasteride. It lowers DHT, not testosterone, and may even slightly increase circulating testosterone, but that's not its aim. Stimulating RNA synthesis relates to androgens' anabolic effects, not finasteride's mechanism. Shrinking the prostate is its core function, taking months to reduce symptoms, distinct from acute smooth muscle relaxation or hormonal boosts, aligning with BPH management goals.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In pharmacology, understanding pharmacokinetics is crucial as it deals with how the body processes a medication. The correct answer is C) pharmacokinetics. Enzymatic activity that changes a medication into a less active form falls under pharmacokinetics as it involves processes like metabolism and excretion that affect the concentration of the active drug in the body. Option A) pharmacodynamics refers to how drugs exert their effects on the body, not how the body processes the drug. Option B) active transport involves the movement of drugs across cell membranes, not the enzymatic breakdown of drugs. Option D) diffusion is about the passive movement of drugs across cell membranes, not the enzymatic transformation into less active forms. Educationally, this question highlights the importance of understanding pharmacokinetics in the context of drug action and metabolism. Knowing how drugs are metabolized can help healthcare professionals anticipate potential drug interactions, dosage adjustments, and individual variations in drug response, ultimately leading to safe and effective medication management.