PHARMACOLOGY FINAL REVIEW TEST BANK

PHARMACOLOGY REVIEW TEST BANK 1. The nurse provides teaching for a patient who will begin taking bosentan [Tracleer] for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching about this medication? a. “I may take this medication with or without food.” b. “I may develop irreversible liver damage while taking this drug.” c. “I should not take cyclosporine while taking this medication.” d. “I will need to have lab tests every month while taking this drug.” ANS: B Liver injury may occur with bosentan but all cases to date have been reversible. The medication may be taken without regard to meals. Patients taking bosentan should not take cyclosporine concurrently. Patients will need to have liver enzymes measured monthly while taking the drug. 2. A patient with a history of heart disease develops pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), and the provider is considering prescribing sildenafil [Revatio]. The nurse caring for this patient will perform a careful drug history and notify the provider if the patient is taking which medication? a. A beta blocker b. A calcium channel blocker c. Nitroglycerin d. Warfarin ANS: C Patients taking sildenafil should not take nitroglycerin, since the combination can produce a life- threatening drop in blood pressure. Beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and warfarin are not contraindicated with sildenafil. 3. A pregnant patient begins active labor at 30 weeks’ gestation. The provider orders dexamethasone 6 mg intramuscularly to be given twice daily for 4 doses. The patient asks the nurse what effect this drug will have on the fetus. The nurse will tell her that the dexamethasone is given to: a. improve cognitive function in the fetus. b. improve fetal neuromotor development. c. increase fetal weight and length. d. increase lung development in the fetus. ANS: D When preterm delivery cannot be prevented, injecting the pregnant patient with glucocorticoids can accelerate fetal lung maturation. Glucocorticoids do not improve cognitive function, neuromotor development, or physical size in the fetus. 4. A nurse counsels a patient who is to begin taking gamma-hydroxybutyrate [Xyrem] for narcolepsy. It is important for the nurse to warn the patient that respiratory depression is a potential risk with concomitant use of: a. alcohol. b. beta blockers. c. caffeine. d. nicotine. ANS: A The nurse should advise the patient to avoid alcohol when taking gamma-hydroxybutyrate, because combining the two increases the risk of respiratory depression. Gamma-hydroxybutyrate has no drug-to-drug interactions with beta blockers, caffeine, or nicotine. 5. A provider has told a parent that a 3-year-old child has a minor ear infection and that an antibiotic would be prescribed in a couple of days if the child’s symptoms worsened. The parent asks the nurse why the child cannot get an antibiotic today. Which response by the nurse is correct? a. “If the eardrum ruptures, we can culture the fluid to determine which antibiotic is best.” b. “Most ear infections are caused by viruses, so antibiotics are not effective.” c. “Most ear infections will resolve on their own without antibiotics.” d. “Your child will develop tolerance to antibiotics if they are prescribed too often.” ANS: C The vast majority of acute otitis media (AOM) episodes resolve without treatment, so unless the child is very ill, observation is the initial choice. Spontaneous rupture of the tympanic membrane can occur, but clinicians do not wait for it to happen to obtain a culture that will guide treatment. About 70% to 90% of AOM episodes are bacterial in origin. Patients do not develop tolerance to antibiotic effects; overuse of antibiotics can lead to resistant organisms. 6. A nurse is teaching a parent about the observation strategy for managing a 3-year-old child’s ear infection. Which statement by the parent indicates understanding of the teaching? a. “I should not give analgesics, because they may mask important symptoms.” b. “I will give ibuprofen or acetaminophen for pain or fever as needed.” c. “I will let my provider know if the symptoms are not better in 1 week.” d. “There is a slight risk of mastoiditis if antibiotic therapy is delayed.” ANS: B Observation is defined as management by symptomatic relief alone for 48 to 72 hours to allow time for AOM to resolve on its own. Parents should be taught to administer analgesics/antipyretics. Providing pain relief does not mask an important symptom. Parents should notify the provider if symptoms worsen or do not improve in 48 to 72 hours. There is no significant difference in the risk of developing mastoiditis.