A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about neuropharmacology. Which statement by a student about peripheral nervous system (PNS) drugs indicates a need for further teaching?
A) "Drugs affecting axonal conduction have a variety of uses."
B) "Drugs that alter synaptic transmission can be highly selective."
C) "Many PNS drugs act by altering synaptic transmission."
D) "These drugs work by influencing receptor activity."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Local anesthetics are drugs that work by altering axonal conduction. Any drug affecting axonal conduction would be nonselective, because axonal conduction of impulses is essentially the same in all neurons. In contrast, drugs that affect synaptic transmission can be highly selective, because each transmitter has different effects on receptor sites. Most PNS drugs work on synaptic transmission processes. Through their effects on transmitters, they influence receptor activity.

A Nurse Is Teaching a Group of Nursing Students About