Question 1

The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin).What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking this medication?

Accepted Answer

The side effects commonly associated with beta blockers include bradycardia,hypotension,and dizziness.Patients should be instructed to use caution when rising from a sitting or lying position to avoid orthostatic hypotension.Atenolol may be taken once daily.Atenolol is contraindicated in the pregnant patient.NSAIDs decrease the effects of beta blockers and should be avoided.

Question 2

A patient will be discharged on beta blockers.Which skill is essential for the nurse to teach the patient's family?

Accepted Answer

Because of the action and side effects of beta blockers,heart rate and blood pressure should be monitored frequently.

Question 3

A patient who has asthma is diagnosed with hypertension.The nurse understands that which drug will be safe to give this patient?

Accepted Answer

Metoprolol is a selective adrenergic blocker that has a greater affinity for receptors that decrease heart rate and blood pressure and is less likely to cause bronchospasm.The other adrenergic blockers are not selective and can cause bronchoconstriction.

Question 4

A patient will begin taking albuterol (Proventil)to treat asthma.When teaching the patient about this drug,the nurse will make which recommendation?

Accepted Answer

High dosages of albuterol may affect beta₁ receptors,causing an increase in heart rate that could be dangerous.It is not necessary to consume extra fluids or take a calcium supplement while using this drug.Serum glucose may be elevated slightly,but this is not a concern in non-diabetic patients.

Question 5

The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a patient who has recently begun taking reserpine.The patient reports using St.John's wort.The nurse anticipates that the patient will have

Accepted Answer

St.John's wort antagonizes the hypotensive effects of reserpine,causing hypertension.

Question 6

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?

Accepted Answer

Extravasation of dopamine causes tissue necrosis; if extravasation occurs,the antidote phentolamine mesylate should be infiltrated into the area.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

High doses of albuterol may affect beta₁ receptors,causing an increase in heart rate.Patients having an asthma exacerbation may over-use their albuterol inhalers when seeking relief.Patients may have wheezing and increased heart rate during an untreated asthma exacerbation,but they will not have tremors and restlessness.

Question 8

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?

Accepted Answer

Nurses should explain to patients that continuous use of nasal sprays containing adrenergic agonists may result in rebound nasal congestion; these sprays should not be used more than 3 days.To avoid systemic absorption,spray should be administered while the patient is in an upright position.The medication may cause systemic side effects and should not be routinely used with other OTC cold medications.

Question 9

The patient has been started on a treatment regimen that includes atenolol (Tenormin)and complains to the nurse of feeling weak.Which is the best response from the nurse?

Accepted Answer

Weakness can be a side effect of atenolol.Beta blockers should not be stopped abruptly.

Question 10

The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta₂-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm.The nurse will expect this drug to also cause which side effect?

Accepted Answer

Drugs that act on beta₂ receptors activate glyconeogenesis in the liver causing increased blood glucose.Selective beta₂ drugs act on beta₂ receptors only and not on beta₁ receptors,so they do not cause increased blood pressure or increased heart rate.Adrenergic agonists cause decreased GI motility.

Question 11

A patient is taking doxazosin mesylate (Cardura)1 mg per 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?

Accepted Answer

Alpha-adrenergic blockers can cause orthostatic hypotension and reflex tachycardia.Beta blockers do not cause reflex tachycardia.Decreasing or increasing the drug dose is not recommended.Diuretics are added if blood pressure is not well-controlled.

Question 12

A nurse is teaching a patient how to use phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine)nasal spray.To avoid systemic absorption,the nurse teaches the patient to perform which action?

Accepted Answer

The patient should insert the spray while sitting up to avoid it being absorbed systemically.

Question 13

The nurse is caring for a patient whose provider has just ordered a switch from atenolol (Tenormin)to reserpine.When preparing the patient to take this medication,what will the nurse do?

Accepted Answer

St.John's wort may antagonize hypotensive effects of reserpine.Reserpine should not be taken with NSAIDs.Side effects include depression,not mood elevation.Therapeutic effects may take 2 to 3 weeks.

Question 14

The patient has been ordered to receive 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?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic drugs should not be taken by patients with diabetes.The medication should not be given.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

Alpha-adrenergic blockers can be used to treat peripheral vascular disease because they cause vasodilation.

Question 16

The nurse caring for a patient who is taking an adrenergic agent will expect which side effects? (Select all that apply.)

Accepted Answer

Adrenergic agents stimulate the sympathetic nervous system,evoking the "fight or flight" response.This response increases those functions needed to respond to stress (increased heart rate to perfuse muscles,bronchodilation to increase oxygen exchange).Adrenergic drugs shunt blood away from the reproductive tract and gastrointestinal organs as these functions are not needed during a fight or flight response.

Question 17

The nurse administers subcutaneous epinephrine to a patient who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction.The nurse should expect to monitor the patient for which symptom?

Accepted Answer

Epinephrine can cause renal vasoconstriction and thereby reduce renal perfusion and decrease urinary output.Epinephrine causes tachycardia and elevates blood pressure.Nausea and vomiting are not expected to occur.

Question 18

The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol (Tenormin)to treat hypertension.The patient reports dizziness,nausea,vomiting,and decreased libido since beginning the medication.What will the nurse do?

Accepted Answer

Beta-adrenergic blockers can cause these side effects,which are often dose-related.Patients experiencing these side effects should be encouraged to discuss them with their providers.Beta blockers should not be discontinued abruptly,or rebound symptoms may occur.Since symptoms may be dose-related,reassuring the patient is not correct.All beta blockers have similar side effects.

Quiz 18: Adrenergic Agonists and Adrenergic Blockers

The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin) .What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking this medication?

A patient will be discharged on beta blockers.Which skill is essential for the nurse to teach the patient's family?

A patient who has asthma is diagnosed with hypertension.The nurse understands that which drug will be safe to give this patient?

A patient will begin taking albuterol (Proventil) to treat asthma.When teaching the patient about this drug,the nurse will make which recommendation?

The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a patient who has recently begun taking reserpine.The patient reports using St.John's wort.The nurse anticipates that the patient will have

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?

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

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?

The patient has been started on a treatment regimen that includes atenolol (Tenormin) and complains to the nurse of feeling weak.Which is the best response from the nurse?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta₂-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm.The nurse will expect this drug to also cause which side effect?

A patient is taking doxazosin mesylate (Cardura) 1 mg per 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 nurse is teaching a patient how to use phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine) nasal spray.To avoid systemic absorption,the nurse teaches the patient to perform which action?

The nurse is caring for a patient whose provider has just ordered a switch from atenolol (Tenormin) to reserpine.When preparing the patient to take this medication,what will the nurse do?

The patient has been ordered to receive 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 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

The nurse caring for a patient who is taking an adrenergic agent will expect which side effects? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse administers subcutaneous epinephrine to a patient who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction.The nurse should expect to monitor the patient for which symptom?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol (Tenormin) to treat hypertension.The patient reports dizziness,nausea,vomiting,and decreased libido since beginning the medication.What will the nurse do?

Quiz 18: Adrenergic Agonists and Adrenergic Blockers

The nurse is caring for a patient who will begin taking atenolol (Tenormin) .What information will the nurse include when teaching the patient about taking this medication?

A patient will be discharged on beta blockers.Which skill is essential for the nurse to teach the patient's family?

A patient who has asthma is diagnosed with hypertension.The nurse understands that which drug will be safe to give this patient?

A patient will begin taking albuterol (Proventil) to treat asthma.When teaching the patient about this drug,the nurse will make which recommendation?

The nurse is performing an admission assessment on a patient who has recently begun taking reserpine.The patient reports using St.John's wort.The nurse anticipates that the patient will have

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?

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

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?

The patient has been started on a treatment regimen that includes atenolol (Tenormin) and complains to the nurse of feeling weak.Which is the best response from the nurse?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta2-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm.The nurse will expect this drug to also cause which side effect?

A patient is taking doxazosin mesylate (Cardura) 1 mg per 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 nurse is teaching a patient how to use phenylephrine (Neo-Synephrine) nasal spray.To avoid systemic absorption,the nurse teaches the patient to perform which action?

The nurse is caring for a patient whose provider has just ordered a switch from atenolol (Tenormin) to reserpine.When preparing the patient to take this medication,what will the nurse do?

The patient has been ordered to receive 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 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

The nurse caring for a patient who is taking an adrenergic agent will expect which side effects? (Select all that apply.)

The nurse administers subcutaneous epinephrine to a patient who is experiencing an anaphylactic reaction.The nurse should expect to monitor the patient for which symptom?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has recently begun taking atenolol (Tenormin) to treat hypertension.The patient reports dizziness,nausea,vomiting,and decreased libido since beginning the medication.What will the nurse do?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has asthma and administers a selective beta₂-adrenergic agonist to treat bronchospasm.The nurse will expect this drug to also cause which side effect?