ATI RN
ATI Pharmacology Study Guide PDF Questions
Question 1 of 9
The patient receives aspirin. The nurse assesses an adverse effect to this drug when the patient makes which response?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Aspirin's antiplatelet effect risks GI bleeding, causing dark stools , a serious adverse effect needing urgent assessment. Nasal stuffiness , photophobia , and nocturia aren't typical. A signals potential hemorrhage, making it the correct adverse effect.
Question 2 of 9
A patient is about to receive a morning dose of digoxin and has an apical pulse of 53 beats/minute. Which of the following actions should the nurse do first?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Digoxin should be withheld if the apical pulse is below 60 beats/minute in adults, as it can exacerbate bradycardia and lead to serious cardiac complications. The nurse should hold the dose and notify the healthcare provider for further instructions. Administering the dose (B) or contacting the charge nurse (C) without holding the dose is inappropriate.
Question 3 of 9
Potential causes for respiratory alkalosis include
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Respiratory alkalosis occurs when carbon dioxide (CO2) is excessively exhaled, raising blood pH. Hyperventilation is a primary cause, as rapid breathing reduces CO2, a respiratory acid, leading to alkalosis—common in anxiety, fever, or hypoxia. Hypotension or hypertension affects circulation, not ventilation rate directly, and aren't causes. Hypoventilation retains CO2, causing acidosis, not alkalosis. The nurse identifies hyperventilation as the physiological trigger, aligning with acid-base balance principles, making choice D the accurate cause in this context.
Question 4 of 9
Which medication is a glutamate receptor antagonist that can be used in combination with an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor to manage the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Memantine, an NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist, manages Alzheimer's by reducing excitotoxicity from excessive glutamate, which contributes to neuronal damage in later stages. It complements acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (e.g., donepezil), which boost cholinergic function for memory, by targeting a different pathway, slowing progression and improving behavior. Rivastigmine and donepezil are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, not glutamate antagonists. Ropinirole, a dopamine agonist, treats Parkinson's. Fluoxetine, an SSRI, addresses depression. Memantine's unique glutamate modulation, combined with cholinergic enhancement, offers a dual approach, supported by evidence for moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's management.
Question 5 of 9
A 31-year-old male patient has been prescribed propranolol to reduce and prevent angina. What will the nurse assess this patient for related to the medication? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Adverse effects of propranolol that the nurse would assess for include allergic reaction, bradycardia, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmias, cerebrovascular accident, pulmonary edema, gastric pain, flatulence, impotence, decreased exercise tolerance, and bronchospasm. The nurse should monitor for these adverse effects and intervene as needed to ensure patient safety.
Question 6 of 9
The pregnant patient plans to breastfeed her baby. She asks the nurse about the use of herbal products during breastfeeding. What is the best response by the nurse?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Herbals (e.g., St. John's wort) transfer to breast milk, risking infant effects (e.g., sedation), so avoiding them is safest, per pharmacokinetics. Labels lack consistent breastfeeding data. ‘Natural' doesn't mean safe-some are toxic. Timing doesn't eliminate transfer. Transfer risk advises caution, protecting the baby.
Question 7 of 9
A mother brings her 4-year-old son to the emergency department after discovering him eating her iron supplement. Which of the following should be administered to chelate the excess iron in his body?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Iron overdose in a child requires a specific chelator. Deferoxamine binds ferric iron, forming ferrioxamine, excreted renally. EDTA chelates calcium and lead, not iron-specific. Dimercaprol treats heavy metals like arsenic, not iron. Penicillamine is for copper (Wilson's disease). Succimer (E) targets lead. Deferoxamine's high affinity for iron makes it standard for acute toxicity, preventing organ damage (e.g., liver, heart), critical in this pediatric emergency.
Question 8 of 9
Which of the following drugs used in cancer chemotherapy is most likely to be associated with cerebellar dysfunction?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Chemotherapy neurotoxicity varies. Cytarabine, at high doses, causes cerebellar ataxia and dysarthria via Purkinje cell damage, most likely here. Cyclophosphamide risks hemorrhagic cystitis, mitoxantrone cardiotoxicity, bleomycin lung fibrosis, and vincristine peripheral neuropathy, not cerebellar issues. Cytarabine's CNS penetration drives this toxicity, requiring dose monitoring in leukemia treatment.
Question 9 of 9
When teaching a patient who has a new prescription for transdermal nitroglycerin patches, the nurse tells the patient that these patches are most appropriately used for which situation?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Transdermal nitroglycerin patches are primarily used for the prevention and management of angina pectoris, a condition characterized by chest pain or discomfort due to reduced blood flow to the heart. Nitroglycerin works by dilating the blood vessels, which helps to improve blood flow to the heart muscle and reduce the workload on the heart. By preventing angina episodes, nitroglycerin patches can help to alleviate chest pain, improve exercise tolerance, and enhance the overall quality of life for patients with angina. It is not used to prevent low blood pressure, relieve shortness of breath, or control heart rate during exercise.