A nursing student asks the nurse about receptor specificity of adrenergic agonist medications. What will the nurse say?
A) "As the dosage of these medications increases, drugs in this class are more selective."
B) "Dopamine is selective for dopamine receptors and has no effects on alpha or beta receptors."
C) "Epinephrine is the most selective alpha-adrenergic agonist medication."
D) "Specificity is relative and is dose dependent."

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Receptor specificity is relative, not absolute, and is dose dependent. At low doses, selectivity is maximal, and selectivity declines as the dose increases. Dopamine is the only drug in this class that acts on dopamine receptors, but it also has effects on alpha and beta receptors. Epinephrine is the least selective of this class.

A Nursing Student Asks the Nurse About Receptor Specificity of Adrenergic