Chapter 54 Drugs Acting on the Upper Respiratory Tract

The physician ordered flunisolide for a patient who was previously prescribed ephedrine for seasonal rhinitis. What is the nurse's best response to the patient's question as to why his medication has been changed?

"Your physician has ordered your new medication because your previous medication wasn't giving you enough relief from your symptoms"

A patient calls the nurse help line and asks if he may taken an over-the-counter (OTC) expectorant. The nurse is aware that an expectorant would be contraindicated or used very cautiously if the patient has what conditions?

-Emphysema -Very productive cough -Asthma

A nurse is preparing a presentation for a local elementary school parent group about over-the-counter cold medications and their use in children. What information would be most appropriate to include?

-Importance of reading the label for ingredients and dosage -Need to follow the directions for how often to give the drug -Avoidance of use in children under age 2

The nursing instructor is teaching a group of nursing students about oral nasal decongestants. The nursing students correctly identify what adverse effects as being sympathomimetic reactions?

-Increased pulse -Pallor -Arrhythmias

The pharmacology instructor is quizzing the students about the reasons decongestants are prescribed for patients. The students who respond correctly are those that name what reasons?

-Middle ear infections -Hay fever -Common cold

When teaching a patient who is receiving pseudoephedrine about possible adverse effects, what would the nurse include?

-Sweating -Anxiety -Hypertension

The home health nurse is caring for an 83-year-old patient who has an upper respiratory infection and is taking an over-the-counter (OTC) cough and cold preparation. What issues must be discussed with this patient related to the OTC medications?

-The patient may become confused and disoriented -The patient is at an increased risk for falls because of dizziness -This patient should call the physician before taking this medication because it may be contraindicated due to other conditions the patient has

A patient receives dextromethorphan. The nurse would expect this drug to begin acting within which time frame?

25 to 30 minutes

Which agent would the nurse identify as providing local anesthesia to the respiratory passages?

Benzonatate

When instructing a patient in how to use a topical nasal spray, what would the nurse emphasize to do first?

Clear the nasal passages.

What would contraindicate the use of a topical nasal decongestant?

Nasal ulceration

A patient who has been using a nasal decongestant for the last two weeks calls the clinic and asks for an antibiotic because the nasal congestion is getting worse instead of better. The nurse is aware that the patient has developed what condition?

Rhinitis medicamentosa

The nurse is teaching a patient how to self-administer a medication that is contained in a nasal aerosol. The nurse knows the patient needs further instruction if she tells the nurse what information?

-"I will press the canister and sniff twice then blow out through my nose" -"I will lie down on the couch when I used this medication" -"I will blow my nose right before and right after I use the nasal aerosol"

The nurse is caring for a patient who will be going home with a prescription for an antitussive. What discharge instructions are most important for the nurse to share with this patient?

-"Use sugarless candy if this medication causes you to experience a dry mouth" -"If this cough continues for a week, please contact your physician" -"Don't drive or use heavy machinery because this medication may cause sedation"

When developing the teaching plan for a patient receiving an antihistamine, what would the nurse include?

-Advising the patient to avoid alcohol consumption -Taking the drug on an empty stomach -Using sugarless candies or lozenges to combat dry mouth -Reading the labels of OTC medications because they may contain the same ingredient

The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving acetylcysteine by aerosol. The nurse is aware that this patient is at risk for what adverse effects?

-Bronchospasm -Nausea -Stomatitis

The nurse is conducting a class for parents of newborns about the use of over-the-counter cough and cold medications. The nurse encourages the parents to follow which important safety information?

-Carefully follow the directions in the "Drug Facts" section of the label -Do not give your child more than one cough and cold preparation at the same time -Do not give over-the-counter (OTC) medications to your child until he is older than 2 years

What would a nurse identify as a first-generation antihistamine?

-Clemastine -Meclizine -Dimenhydrinate

A patient receives guaifensein. The nurse would expect the drug to begin acting within which time frame?

30 minutes

A patient is receiving a topical nasal decongestant. The nurse instructs the patient to stop using the drug after which length of time?

5 days

Which instruction would the nurse least likely include in the teaching plan for a patient receiving an antitussive?

Limiting fluids

Which drug would the nurse expect to administer as a nasal spray?

Oxymetazoline

When describing the action of dornase alfa in treating cystic fibrosis, the nurse understands that this drug does what?

Separates extracellular DNA from protein in mucus

A group of students demonstrate understanding of topical decongestants, identifying them as being part of which drug classification?

Sympathomimetics

After teaching a group of students about topical nasal steroid decongestants, the instructor determines the need for additional teaching when the students identify what as an example?

Tetrahydrozoline