The nurse notes in the patient’s medication orders that the patient will be starting anticoagulant therapy. What is the primary goal of anticoagulant therapy?

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Preventing thrombus formation. Anticoagulant therapy works by inhibiting the formation of blood clots, preventing thrombus formation. This is crucial in conditions like atrial fibrillation or deep vein thrombosis to reduce the risk of clot formation and subsequent embolism. Stabilizing an existing thrombus (A) or dissolving it (B) are typically managed with other medications like antiplatelet or thrombolytic agents. Dilating the vessel around a clot (D) is not the primary goal of anticoagulant therapy.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Faster urinary excretion. Biotransformation involves converting a drug into metabolites that are more easily excreted by the body, primarily through urine. This process increases the water solubility of the drug, allowing it to be eliminated more efficiently. Option B is incorrect because biotransformation typically leads to faster, not slower, urinary excretion. Option C is incorrect as biotransformation does not affect distribution within the organism. Option D is incorrect because biotransformation does not directly impact the binding of the drug to membranes.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A because the therapeutic index (TI) is a ratio that measures the safety of a drug by comparing the dose that produces therapeutic effects to the dose that causes toxicity. This ratio helps determine the margin of safety of a drug for a specific indication. Choice B is incorrect because TI does not directly measure effectiveness. Choice C is incorrect as bioavailability is a different concept related to drug absorption. Choice D is incorrect because TI focuses on safety and not drug elimination. Therefore, A is the correct answer as it accurately reflects the purpose of the therapeutic index.

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Heart. M2 cholinoreceptors are primarily located in the heart. These receptors are involved in regulating heart rate and contractility by inhibiting adenylate cyclase activity. This leads to decreased cAMP levels, resulting in a decrease in heart rate and contractility. The other choices (B: Glands, C: Smooth muscle, D: Endothelium) are incorrect as M2 receptors are not typically found in these locations. In glands, M3 receptors are more common, in smooth muscle M3 receptors predominate, and in the endothelium, muscarinic receptors are not the primary receptors involved in regulation.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Atropine. Atropine is useful in the treatment of uterine spasms because it acts as an antispasmodic agent by blocking the action of acetylcholine on smooth muscle, including the uterus. Carbachol (A) is a cholinergic agonist that would exacerbate spasms. Vecuronium (B) is a neuromuscular blocking agent used for muscle relaxation during surgery. Edrophonium (D) is a cholinesterase inhibitor used for diagnosing myasthenia gravis. In summary, Atropine is the correct choice due to its antispasmodic properties, while the other options would not be effective or appropriate for treating uterine spasms.