Neuropharmacology 3 practice questions

A patient has been taking a medication for 2 months. Which statement, if made by the patient, would indicate to the nurse that drug tolerance is occuring

"The medication does not seem to be working as well"

The nurse receives a phone call from a patient who has been taking a CNS drug for 3 days. The patient tells the nurse that the medication causes nausea. Which response by the nurse is best?

"the nausea will most likely decrease over time"

The nurse cares for a patient with depression who has been prescribed an antidepressant. When would the nurse expect the medication to reach its full therapeutic effect?

2-3 weeks

A patient has localized muscle spasms after an injury. The prescriber has ordered tizanidine (zanaflex) to alleviate spasms. When obtaining the patinet's health history, the nurse should be concerned about which possible reason for considering another drug

A history of hepatitis

A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students how the CNS adapts to psychotherapeutic medications. Which statement by a nursing student indicates a need for further teaching.

Adaptation results in an increased sensitivity to side effects over time

The nurse prepares to administer Dantrolene (Dantrium) to a patient. Before the administration of the drug, it is most important for the nurse to assess which laboratory value?

Aminotransferases

A patient with cerebral palsy has severe muscle spasticity and muscle weakness. The patient is unable to take anything by mouth. The nurse is correct to anticipate that which medication will be ordered for home therapy

Baclofen (lioresal)

A psychatric nurse is teaching a patient about an antidepressant medication. The nurse tells the patient that therapeutic effects may not occur for several weeks. The nurse understands that this is likely the result of

Changes in the brain as a result of prolonged drug exposure

A nurse is caring for a patient who has been taking an anti-epileptic drug for several weeks. The nurse asks the patient if the therapy is effective. The patient reports little change in seizure frequency. What will the nurse do

Contact the provider to discuss an order for serum drug levels

A nurse is assessing a patient who becomes motionless and seems to stare at the wall and then experience about 60 seconds of lip smacking and hand wringing. What should the nurse do

Contact the provider to report symptoms of a complex partial seizure

Which drugs are used to treat spasticity

Diazepam (valium), Baclofen (lioresal), Dantrolene (dantrium)

A patient is newly prescribed Carbamazepine (Tegretol) for seizure control. It is most important for the nurse to teach the patient to avoid which food?

Grapefruit juice

A nurse counsels a patient who is to begin taking phenytoin (dilantin) for epilepsy. Which statement by the patient indicates understanding of the teaching?

I should brush and floss my teeth regularly

A nurse is teaching the parent of a child with spastic quadriplegia about intrathecal baclofen (lioresal). Which statement by the parent indicates a need for further teaching

If my child has a seizure, I should stop the medication immediately

A nurse is caring for a patient receiving intrathecal baclofen. The patient is unresponsive. After asking a coworker to contact the provider, the nurse anticipates performing which intervention

Preparing to support respiration

A patient is to begin taking phenytoin (dilantin) for seizures. The patient tells the nurse that she is taking an oral contraceptives. What will the nurse tell the patient

She should consider a different form of birth control while taking phenytoin

A patient with multiple sclerosis is prescribed Baclofen (Lioresal). Which assessment by the nurse indicates that the medication is exerting its desired effect?

Suppression of spasticity

A patient is prescribed phenytoin (Dilantin) for epileptic seizures. Which of the following is the priority for patient teaching?

Teach the patient to avoid the abrupt cessation of treatment

A patient shows loss of consciousness, jaw clenching, contraction and relaxation of muscle groups, and periods of cyanosis. The nurse correctly identifies this as what type of seizure?

Tonic-clonic

A patient asks a nurse to explain what drug tolerance means. The nurse responds by telling the patient that when tolerance occurs, it means that the patient

may need increased amounts of the drug over time

A group of nursing students asks a nurse to explain the blood-brain barrier. The nurse would be correct to say that the BBB

prevents some potentially toxic substances from crossing into the central nervous system

A nurse is admitting a patient to the hospital. The patient reports taking oral baclofen (lioresal) but stopped taking the drug the day before admission. The nurse would be correct to anticipate which adverse effects.

seizures and hallucinations