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:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The symptoms (expiratory wheezing, tremors, restlessness, and tachycardia) are consistent with an overuse of albuterol, which is a beta-adrenergic agonist that can cause these side effects. Overuse can lead to worsening asthma exacerbations and potentially dangerous cardiac dysrhythmias.

An Adult Patient Is Brought to the Emergency Department for Treatment