Practice Exam 2 NUR 210
Chapter 15: Adrenergic Agonists and Antagonists (unit 4 | 12-18 questions)
1. The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta2-adrenergic agonist
(albuterol) to treat bronchospasm. The nurse knows this drug can potentially cause which side effect?
○ a) Increased drowsiness
○ b) Decreased blood pressure
○ c) Increased heart rate
○ d) Increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility
2. A patient who has asthma requires treatment with a beta blocker to manage his cardiovascular disease. The
nurse understands that which drug will be the safest to give this patient?
○ a) Pindolol (Visken)
○ b) Metoprolol (Lopressor)
○ c) Nadolol (Corgard)
○ d) Propranolol (Inderal)
3. The nurse administers epinephrine to a patient who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. The nurse
should expect which of the following?
○ a) Bradycardia
○ b) Decreased urine output
○ c) Hypotension
○ d) Nausea and vomiting
4. An adult patient is brought to the emergency department for treatment of an asthma exacerbation. The
patient uses inhaled albuterol as needed to control wheezing. The nurse notes expiratory wheezing, tremors,
restlessness, and a heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The nurse suspects that the patient has:
○ a) Overused the albuterol
○ b) Not been using albuterol
○ c) Taken a beta-adrenergic blocker
○ d) Taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor
5. The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving intravenous dopamine (Intropin). The nurse notes
erythema and swelling at the IV insertion site. What is the nurse’s initial action?
○ a) Apply warm soaks to the area
○ b) Monitor the patient closely for hypertension
○ c) Obtain an order for an electrocardiogram
○ d) Notify the provider of a need for phentolamine mesylate (Regitine)
1
,6. The nurse is teaching a patient how to use phenylephrine HCl (Neo-Synephrine) nasal spray to treat
congestion from a viral upper respiratory infection. What instruction will the nurse give the patient?
○ a) Use this product for a maximum of 3 days
○ b) Spray the medication into the nose while lying supine
○ c) Use frequently since systemic side effects do not occur
○ d) Use the medication prophylactically to prevent future nasal congestion during cold season
7. The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin) as add-on therapy for the
treatment of hypertension. What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking
this medication?
○ a) The drug must be taken twice daily
○ b) The patient should rise slowly from a chair or bed
○ c) The medication is safe to take during pregnancy
○ d) Use NSAIDs instead of acetaminophen for mild to moderate pain
8. The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol (Tenormin) as add-on therapy to
treat hypertension. The patient reports dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and decreased libido since beginning
the medication. What will the nurse do?
○ a) Hold the next dose until the provider can be notified of these side effects
○ b) Reassure the patient that these symptoms are common and not worrisome
○ c) Recommend that the patient discuss these effects with the provider
○ d) Suggest that the patient request a different beta-adrenergic blocker
9. A patient will begin taking an albuterol (Proventil) inhaler to treat asthma. The patient has no other chronic
medical conditions. When teaching the patient about this drug, the nurse will make which
recommendation?
○ a) Report rapid or irregular heart rate
○ b) Drink 8 to 16 extra ounces of fluid each day
○ c) Monitor serum glucose daily
○ d) Take a calcium supplement
10. A patient is taking doxazosin mesylate (Cardura) 1 mg/day to treat hypertension. The nurse notes a blood
pressure of 110/72 mm Hg and a heart rate of 92 beats per minute. The nurse will contact the provider to
discuss which change to the drug regimen?
○ a) Changing to an alternative medication class to treat hypertension
○ b) Decreasing the doxazosin dose
○ c) Increasing the doxazosin dose
○ d) Adding a diuretic
2
, 11. A patient who has Raynaud’s disease will begin taking an alpha-adrenergic blocker. The patient asks the
nurse how the drug works to treat symptoms. The nurse explains that alpha-adrenergic blockers treat
Raynaud’s disease by causing:
○ a) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
○ b) Orthostatic hypotension
○ c) Reflex tachycardia
○ d) Vasodilation
12. A patient will be discharged home on a beta blocker. Which skill is essential for the nurse to teach the
patient’s family?
○ a) How to prepare a high-potassium diet
○ b) Assessments to detect fluid retention
○ c) How to monitor heart rate and blood pressure
○ d) Early signs of changing level of consciousness
13. Reserpine would be best categorized as which of the following?
○ a) Adrenergic neuron antagonist
○ b) Alpha blocker
○ c) Beta blocker
○ d) Alpha agonist
14. A patient has been started on a treatment regimen that includes atenolol (Tenormin) and complains to the
nurse of feeling weak and fatigued. Which is the best response from the nurse?
○ a) “I will hold your next dose of the medication.”
○ b) “You may need an increase in your next dose of the medication.”
○ c) “This is an adverse reaction to the medication. I will stop the drug.”
○ d) “This is a side effect of the medication. I will notify your physician.”
15. The patient has been ordered to receive pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) to treat nasal congestion. The nurse
performing an admission assessment learns that the patient has diabetes mellitus. What action is appropriate
for the nurse to take?
○ a) Administer the medication as ordered
○ b) Contact the provider to discuss a lower dose
○ c) Give the medication and monitor serum glucose closely
○ d) Hold the medication and contact the provider
3
Chapter 15: Adrenergic Agonists and Antagonists (unit 4 | 12-18 questions)
1. The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta2-adrenergic agonist
(albuterol) to treat bronchospasm. The nurse knows this drug can potentially cause which side effect?
○ a) Increased drowsiness
○ b) Decreased blood pressure
○ c) Increased heart rate
○ d) Increased gastrointestinal (GI) motility
2. A patient who has asthma requires treatment with a beta blocker to manage his cardiovascular disease. The
nurse understands that which drug will be the safest to give this patient?
○ a) Pindolol (Visken)
○ b) Metoprolol (Lopressor)
○ c) Nadolol (Corgard)
○ d) Propranolol (Inderal)
3. The nurse administers epinephrine to a patient who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction. The nurse
should expect which of the following?
○ a) Bradycardia
○ b) Decreased urine output
○ c) Hypotension
○ d) Nausea and vomiting
4. An adult patient is brought to the emergency department for treatment of an asthma exacerbation. The
patient uses inhaled albuterol as needed to control wheezing. The nurse notes expiratory wheezing, tremors,
restlessness, and a heart rate of 120 beats per minute. The nurse suspects that the patient has:
○ a) Overused the albuterol
○ b) Not been using albuterol
○ c) Taken a beta-adrenergic blocker
○ d) Taken a monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitor
5. The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving intravenous dopamine (Intropin). The nurse notes
erythema and swelling at the IV insertion site. What is the nurse’s initial action?
○ a) Apply warm soaks to the area
○ b) Monitor the patient closely for hypertension
○ c) Obtain an order for an electrocardiogram
○ d) Notify the provider of a need for phentolamine mesylate (Regitine)
1
,6. The nurse is teaching a patient how to use phenylephrine HCl (Neo-Synephrine) nasal spray to treat
congestion from a viral upper respiratory infection. What instruction will the nurse give the patient?
○ a) Use this product for a maximum of 3 days
○ b) Spray the medication into the nose while lying supine
○ c) Use frequently since systemic side effects do not occur
○ d) Use the medication prophylactically to prevent future nasal congestion during cold season
7. The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin) as add-on therapy for the
treatment of hypertension. What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking
this medication?
○ a) The drug must be taken twice daily
○ b) The patient should rise slowly from a chair or bed
○ c) The medication is safe to take during pregnancy
○ d) Use NSAIDs instead of acetaminophen for mild to moderate pain
8. The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol (Tenormin) as add-on therapy to
treat hypertension. The patient reports dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and decreased libido since beginning
the medication. What will the nurse do?
○ a) Hold the next dose until the provider can be notified of these side effects
○ b) Reassure the patient that these symptoms are common and not worrisome
○ c) Recommend that the patient discuss these effects with the provider
○ d) Suggest that the patient request a different beta-adrenergic blocker
9. A patient will begin taking an albuterol (Proventil) inhaler to treat asthma. The patient has no other chronic
medical conditions. When teaching the patient about this drug, the nurse will make which
recommendation?
○ a) Report rapid or irregular heart rate
○ b) Drink 8 to 16 extra ounces of fluid each day
○ c) Monitor serum glucose daily
○ d) Take a calcium supplement
10. A patient is taking doxazosin mesylate (Cardura) 1 mg/day to treat hypertension. The nurse notes a blood
pressure of 110/72 mm Hg and a heart rate of 92 beats per minute. The nurse will contact the provider to
discuss which change to the drug regimen?
○ a) Changing to an alternative medication class to treat hypertension
○ b) Decreasing the doxazosin dose
○ c) Increasing the doxazosin dose
○ d) Adding a diuretic
2
, 11. A patient who has Raynaud’s disease will begin taking an alpha-adrenergic blocker. The patient asks the
nurse how the drug works to treat symptoms. The nurse explains that alpha-adrenergic blockers treat
Raynaud’s disease by causing:
○ a) Decreased peripheral vascular resistance
○ b) Orthostatic hypotension
○ c) Reflex tachycardia
○ d) Vasodilation
12. A patient will be discharged home on a beta blocker. Which skill is essential for the nurse to teach the
patient’s family?
○ a) How to prepare a high-potassium diet
○ b) Assessments to detect fluid retention
○ c) How to monitor heart rate and blood pressure
○ d) Early signs of changing level of consciousness
13. Reserpine would be best categorized as which of the following?
○ a) Adrenergic neuron antagonist
○ b) Alpha blocker
○ c) Beta blocker
○ d) Alpha agonist
14. A patient has been started on a treatment regimen that includes atenolol (Tenormin) and complains to the
nurse of feeling weak and fatigued. Which is the best response from the nurse?
○ a) “I will hold your next dose of the medication.”
○ b) “You may need an increase in your next dose of the medication.”
○ c) “This is an adverse reaction to the medication. I will stop the drug.”
○ d) “This is a side effect of the medication. I will notify your physician.”
15. The patient has been ordered to receive pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) to treat nasal congestion. The nurse
performing an admission assessment learns that the patient has diabetes mellitus. What action is appropriate
for the nurse to take?
○ a) Administer the medication as ordered
○ b) Contact the provider to discuss a lower dose
○ c) Give the medication and monitor serum glucose closely
○ d) Hold the medication and contact the provider
3
