Deck 16: Drugs Used for Anxiety Disorders

Question 1

The nurse is developing a teaching plan for patients prescribed buspirone (BuSpar). Which information about this medication should be included?

A) There is minimal potential for abuse.
B) Signs of improvement can be seen within 3 days.
C) Sedation is increased compared with other antianxiety medications.
D) It stimulates the action of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).

Answer 1

There is minimal potential for abuse.

Question 2

Which is a benzodiazepine of choice when treating anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal?

A) Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
B) Oxazepam (Serax)
C) Diazepam (Valium)
D) Clorazepate (Tranxene)

Answer 2

Oxazepam (Serax)

Question 3

Which drugs may increase the toxic effects of benzodiazepines? (Select all that apply.)

A) Alcohol
B) Antihistamines
C) Analgesics
D) Sedatives
E) Vitamins
F) Hypnotics

Answer 3

Alcohol
Antihistamines
Analgesics
Sedatives
Hypnotics

Question 4

Which patient is most likely to respond quickly to antianxiety therapy with benzodiazepines?

A) Patient with a history of long-term anxiety
B) Patient with recent anxiety reactions
C) Patient with severe depression in addition to being anxious
D) Patient with incidents of auditory hallucinations

Question 5

What will the nurse caution a patient about when providing information about the prescribed azaspirone antidepressant?

A) Risk for addiction
B) Adverse effect of nausea
C) Risk of injury when using machinery
D) Additive effects of CNS depression with alcohol

Question 6

What instruction is most important for the nurse to teach the patient who has recently been prescribed alprazolam (Xanax)?

A) "The medication needs to be taken on an empty stomach."
B) "You may feel dizzy or unsteady when rising to a standing position."
C) "Smoking will require a reduction in dosage of the medication."
D) "Over-the-counter medications are safe to take while on this medication."

Question 7

What is the recommended time over which antianxiety medications must be gradually tapered before discontinuation?

A) 1 week
B) 1 month
C) 6 months
D) 1 year

Question 8

Which is the drug of choice to treat a patient with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?

A) Lorazepam (Ativan)
B) Buspirone (BuSpar)
C) Fluvoxamine (Luvox)
D) Hydroxyzine (Vistaril)

Question 9

A female patient is admitted to the adult psychiatric floor with a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. Anxiolytic medications and group therapy have been prescribed. Evaluation of therapeutic outcomes related to her acute stay can be measured by which of the following assessments? (Select all that apply.)

A) She is able to sleep 5 hours during the night.
B) The tremor and pacing she exhibited on admission are reduced.
C) She is able to attend and actively participate in group sessions.
D) She is eating only 10% of her meals.
E) She complains of chest pain before group therapy.

Question 10

Which is true regarding psychological drug dependence?

A) It is easier to treat than physiological dependence.
B) It is not considered a true addiction.
C) It is easily controlled by influencing the patient's perceptions.
D) It requires medical intervention to treat.

Question 11

In addition to the relief of mild to moderate anxiety, hydroxyzine (Vistaril) has which additional therapeutic outcomes? (Select all that apply.)

A) Reduced need for sedation and analgesia before and after surgery
B) Elimination of psychotic thinking
C) Control of itching in allergic reactions
D) Control of vomiting
E) Control of obsessive-compulsive thoughts
F) Prevention of extrapyramidal adverse effects and tardive dyskinesia

Question 12

Which assessments are included in the evaluation of a patient with anxiety? (Select all that apply.)

A) Physical examination
B) Psychological evaluation
C) History of precipitation stressors
D) Medication history
E) Substance abuse history
F) Blood glucose level

Question 13

The nurse is preparing to educate a patient and significant other about antianxiety medications before the patient's discharge. Which is pertinent information to be included in the teaching plan?

A) Discuss, review, and validate the behavior monitoring system and intervention flow sheet the patient and significant other will continue to use following discharge.
B) Discuss the possible dependence associated with the medication at length to make sure the patient does not overuse the drug.
C) Instruct the patient to educate family members about the medication therapy based on recollection of discussions with the nurse.
D) Provide all instructions verbally, with repetition as needed when requested by the patient.

Question 14

The outcome statement for a patient suffering from anxiety disorder reads, "After 1 week on alprazolam (Xanax) therapy, patient will exhibit a manageable level of anxiety." Which assessment finding validates that this outcome is met?

A) Patient is unable to participate in group therapy conversations.
B) Patient reports persistent fear about dying of a rare illness.
C) Patient verifies family reunions trigger anxiety and excessive drinking.
D) Patient reports sleeping better and increased interest in activities.