ATI RN
Intro to Pharmacology ATI Questions
Question 1 of 5
The nurse is conducting medication education about the difference between potency and efficacy to a group of patients. The nurse correctly determines that learning has occurred when the patients make which response?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Efficacy (max effect) trumps potency (dose needed) for ‘best'-a high-efficacy drug fully relieves symptoms, unlike high-potency alone. Potency doesn't guarantee outcome. Efficacy doesn't mean fewer side effects-safety varies. Low-potency drugs can be effective but aren't side-effect-free. Greatest efficacy reflects learning, prioritizing treatment success.
Question 2 of 5
Intravenous atropine at low doses is commonly used by oral surgeons during surgical procedures to remove impacted wisdom teeth. The rationale behind the use of this agent in this situation likely involves which of the following beneficial effects?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Atropine, a muscarinic antagonist, is used in oral surgery to manage parasympathetic effects. Option , gastrointestinal relaxation, is a minor effect but not the primary goal in wisdom tooth extraction. Option , drying oral mucous membranes, is correct-by inhibiting salivary glands, atropine reduces secretions, keeping the surgical field clear, a key benefit in oral procedures. Option , inducing tachycardia, occurs but isn't the intent; low doses minimize this. Option , pupillary dilation, happens but is irrelevant to oral surgery. Option (E), reducing urinary motility, is incidental. The drying effect directly aids visibility and cleanliness during surgery, aligning with clinical practice. At low doses, atropine selectively targets salivary inhibition over systemic effects, making it practical and effective. This rationale reflects its established use in anesthesia to optimize surgical conditions without unnecessary cardiovascular or ocular complications.
Question 3 of 5
A 52-year-old man with asthma treated with a β2 agonist via inhaler has been having difficulty with therapy because of persistent changes in blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, and hypomagnesemia. Which of the following medications would be best for this patient?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: β2-agonist side effects (BP changes, nausea, hypomagnesemia) suggest overuse. Ipratropium , an anticholinergic bronchodilator, avoids these. Options , , persist with β2-agonists, risking side effects. Epinephrine (E) worsens them. Ipratropium's different mechanism improves asthma control safely.
Question 4 of 5
A 36-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after being involved in a one-car motor vehicle accident where his car struck a telephone pole. He is a known chronic alcoholic. He smells alcohol on his breath, and his blood alcohol level is 300 mg/dL. Which of the following treatments should be given to him if he goes into alcohol withdrawal?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Alcohol withdrawal in a chronic alcoholic (300 mg/dL) requires lorazepam . This benzodiazepine mimics alcohol's GABA enhancement, preventing seizures and agitation. Buspirone treats anxiety, not withdrawal. Pentobarbital is excessive. Phenytoin targets seizures alone. Saline (E) supports but doesn't treat. Lorazepam's safety is key.
Question 5 of 5
Ingestion of methanol in wood spirits would cause which of the following to happen?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Methanol, a toxic alcohol, is metabolized by alcohol dehydrogenase into formaldehyde, then by aldehyde dehydrogenase into formic acid, causing severe metabolic acidosis and blindness via optic nerve damage. This initial step—formation of formaldehyde—is the critical toxic event, distinguishing methanol poisoning from ethanol's safer metabolism. Nephrotoxicity isn't primary; formic acid affects mitochondria and eyes more. Hypotension and vomiting occur secondary to acidosis but aren't the defining process. Glycolic acid is a metabolite of ethylene glycol, not methanol. Methanol inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase minimally; its danger lies in metabolite accumulation. Formaldehyde production initiates the cascade, making it the most direct and accurate consequence of methanol ingestion.