Test Bank - Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (8th Edition by Karch)
1. A patient is admitted to the emergency department in shock. Isoproterenol (Isuprel)
is administered. What would the nurse expect the effect of the isoproterenol to be?
a. Increased blood pressure
b. Decreased blood pressure
c. Increased body temperature
d. Decreased heart rate
Ans: A
Feedback:
Isoproterenol stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors. Blood pressure is increased and
heart rate is increased. Body temperature should not be affected.
2. What action do sympathomimetic drugs have in the body?
a. Decreased heart rate
b. Decreased blood pressure
c. Increased respirations
d. Increased intraocular pressure
Ans: C
Feedback:
Sympathomimetic drugs increase respirations. Heart rate and blood pressure are also
increased and intraocular pressure is decreased.
3. An 80-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in shock.
The patient is receiving dopamine (Intropin). What potentially serious adverse
effect will the nurse monitor for?
a. Blood dyscrasia
b. Cardiac arrhythmia
c. Hepatic toxicity
d. Renal insufficiency
Ans: B
Feedback:
Dopamine therapy can result in cardiac arrhythmias, which can be life threatening.
Older patients are more likely to experience the adverse effects associated with
adrenergic agonists and should be started on lower doses and monitored closely for
arrhythmias and blood pressure changes. Blood dyscrasias, hepatic toxicity, and renal
insufficiency are not commonly associated with dopamine use. In fact, at lower doses,
dopamine increases renal perfusion.
, 4. A patient comes to the clinic complaining of seasonal rhinitis. What adrenergic
agonist would be prescribed for treatment of seasonal rhinitis?
a. Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
b. Ephedrine (generic)
c. Dopamine (Intropin)
d. Norepinephrine (Levophed)
Ans: B
Feedback:
Ephedrine has been used to treat seasonal rhinitis by stimulating the release of
norepinephrine from nerve endings and directly acting on adrenergic receptor sites.
Although ephedrine was formerly used for situations ranging from the treatment of
shock to chronic management of asthma and allergic rhinitis, its use in many areas is
declining because of the availability of less toxic drugs with more predictable onset
and action. Dobutamine is used to treat congestive heart failure. Dopamine and
norepinephrine are used to treat shock.
5. The patient is taking midodrine (ProAmatine). What is the most important nursing
action to include in the plan of care for this patient?
a. Monitor urine output.
b. Monitor blood pressure.
c. Monitor heart rate.
d. Monitor respirations.
Ans: B
Feedback:
Midodrine is an oral drug used to treat orthostatic hypotension in patients who do not
respond to traditional therapy. It activates alpha-adrenergic receptors, leading to
peripheral vasoconstriction and an increase in vascular tone and blood pressure. This
effect can cause serious supine hypertension. Patients should be monitored in the
standing, sitting, and supine positions to determine whether this will be a problem. It
is also important to monitor heart rate, respirations, and urine output in this patient.
However, assessing for supine hypertension would pose the greatest threat to the
patient and would take priority.
6. The nurse is planning discharge teaching for a patient who is taking clonidine
(Catapres). What would be most important for the nurse to include when teaching
about adverse effects?
a. Pupil constriction
b. Strange dreams
c. Increased urine output
d. Increased appetite
1. A patient is admitted to the emergency department in shock. Isoproterenol (Isuprel)
is administered. What would the nurse expect the effect of the isoproterenol to be?
a. Increased blood pressure
b. Decreased blood pressure
c. Increased body temperature
d. Decreased heart rate
Ans: A
Feedback:
Isoproterenol stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors. Blood pressure is increased and
heart rate is increased. Body temperature should not be affected.
2. What action do sympathomimetic drugs have in the body?
a. Decreased heart rate
b. Decreased blood pressure
c. Increased respirations
d. Increased intraocular pressure
Ans: C
Feedback:
Sympathomimetic drugs increase respirations. Heart rate and blood pressure are also
increased and intraocular pressure is decreased.
3. An 80-year-old patient has been brought to the emergency department in shock.
The patient is receiving dopamine (Intropin). What potentially serious adverse
effect will the nurse monitor for?
a. Blood dyscrasia
b. Cardiac arrhythmia
c. Hepatic toxicity
d. Renal insufficiency
Ans: B
Feedback:
Dopamine therapy can result in cardiac arrhythmias, which can be life threatening.
Older patients are more likely to experience the adverse effects associated with
adrenergic agonists and should be started on lower doses and monitored closely for
arrhythmias and blood pressure changes. Blood dyscrasias, hepatic toxicity, and renal
insufficiency are not commonly associated with dopamine use. In fact, at lower doses,
dopamine increases renal perfusion.
, 4. A patient comes to the clinic complaining of seasonal rhinitis. What adrenergic
agonist would be prescribed for treatment of seasonal rhinitis?
a. Dobutamine (Dobutrex)
b. Ephedrine (generic)
c. Dopamine (Intropin)
d. Norepinephrine (Levophed)
Ans: B
Feedback:
Ephedrine has been used to treat seasonal rhinitis by stimulating the release of
norepinephrine from nerve endings and directly acting on adrenergic receptor sites.
Although ephedrine was formerly used for situations ranging from the treatment of
shock to chronic management of asthma and allergic rhinitis, its use in many areas is
declining because of the availability of less toxic drugs with more predictable onset
and action. Dobutamine is used to treat congestive heart failure. Dopamine and
norepinephrine are used to treat shock.
5. The patient is taking midodrine (ProAmatine). What is the most important nursing
action to include in the plan of care for this patient?
a. Monitor urine output.
b. Monitor blood pressure.
c. Monitor heart rate.
d. Monitor respirations.
Ans: B
Feedback:
Midodrine is an oral drug used to treat orthostatic hypotension in patients who do not
respond to traditional therapy. It activates alpha-adrenergic receptors, leading to
peripheral vasoconstriction and an increase in vascular tone and blood pressure. This
effect can cause serious supine hypertension. Patients should be monitored in the
standing, sitting, and supine positions to determine whether this will be a problem. It
is also important to monitor heart rate, respirations, and urine output in this patient.
However, assessing for supine hypertension would pose the greatest threat to the
patient and would take priority.
6. The nurse is planning discharge teaching for a patient who is taking clonidine
(Catapres). What would be most important for the nurse to include when teaching
about adverse effects?
a. Pupil constriction
b. Strange dreams
c. Increased urine output
d. Increased appetite
