The 80-year-old patient complained of feeling "anxious" and was given lorazepam (Ativan)to calm him.Instead,the patient became agitated and delirious.The nurse suspects that this behavior most likely is:

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Medications often cause unpredictable effects such as an idiosyncratic reaction in which a patient overreacts or underreacts to a medication or has a reaction different from normal.Predicting which patients will have an idiosyncratic response is impossible.For example,Ativan,an antianxiety medication,when given to an older adult,may cause agitation and delirium.
Toxic effects develop after prolonged intake of a medication,when a medication accumulates in the blood because of impaired metabolism or excretion,or when too high a dose is given.Side effects are predictable and often unavoidable secondary effects produced at a usual therapeutic drug dose.Allergic reactions are unpredictable responses to a medication.The medication acts as an antigen,which causes antibodies to be produced.With repeated administration,the patient develops an allergic response.Sudden constriction of bronchiolar muscles,edema of the pharynx and larynx,severe wheezing,and shortness of breath are characteristic of severe or anaphylactic reactions.Some patients become severely hypotensive,necessitating emergency resuscitation measures.Anaphylaxis is potentially fatal.

The 80-Year-Old Patient Complained of Feeling "Anxious" and Was Given