Chapter 2: Pharmacologic Principles

Question 1

When given an intravenous medication, the patient says to the nurse, “I usually take pills. Why does this medication have to be given in the arm?” What is the nurse’s best answer?

Answer 1

“The action of the medication will begin sooner when given intravenously.”

An intravenous (IV) injection provides the fastest route of absorption. The IV route does not affect the number of adverse effects, nor does it cause delayed tissue absorption (it results in faster absorption). The IV route does not affect the number of allergic reactions.

Question 2

The nurse is administering parenteral drugs. Which statement is true regarding parenteral drugs?

Answer 2

Parenteral drugs bypass the first-pass effect.

Drugs given by the parenteral route bypass the first-pass effect. Reduced blood flow to the stomach and the presence of food in the stomach apply to enteral drugs (taken orally), not to parenteral drugs. Parenteral drugs must be absorbed into cells and tissues from the circulation before they can exert their effects; they do not exert their effects while circulating in the bloodstream

Question 3

When monitoring the patient receiving an intravenous infusion to reduce blood pressure, the nurse notes that the patient’s blood pressure is extremely low, and the patient is lethargic and difficult to awaken. This would be classified as which type of adverse drug reaction?

Answer 3

Pharmacologic reaction

A pharmacologic reaction is an extension of a drug’s normal effects in the body. In this case, the antihypertensive drug lowered the patient’s blood pressure levels too much.

Question 4

The patient is experiencing chest pain and needs to take a sublingual form of nitroglycerin. Where does the nurse instruct the patient to place the tablet?

Answer 4

Under the tongue

Drugs administered via the sublingual route are placed under the tongue.

Question 5

The nurse will be injecting a drug into the fatty tissue of the patient’s abdomen. Which route does this describe?

Answer 5

Subcutaneous

Injections into the fatty subcutaneous tissue under the dermal layer of skin are referred to as subcutaneous injections.