Lilley Chapter 13: CNS Depressants and Muscle Relaxants Flashcards
A patient is admitted to hospital with a diagnosis of benzodiazepine overdose. The nurse anticipates that the health care provider will prescribe which antidote for benzodiazepine overdose?
A. naloxone
B. naltrexone
C. flumazenil
D. nalmefene
C. flumazenil
Flumazenil is the antidote for benzodiazepine overdose. The other options are effective only against opioid agonist effects.
An older adult patient who is prescribed a benzodiazepine for treatment of insomnia should be monitored for which potential adverse effect?
A. Unsteady gait
B. Red rash
C. Shortness of breath
D. Muscle spasms
A. Unsteady gait
Benzodiazepine doses for children and older adults should be small, with gradual increases to avoid ataxia (unsteady gait) and excessive sedation. Thus, these patients should be closely monitored for these adverse effects.
Which nursing diagnosis is appropriate for a patient who has just been administered a sedative–hypnotic drug?
A. Deficient knowledge
B. Risk for infection
C. Imbalanced nutrition
D. Risk for injury and falls
D. Risk for injury and falls
Sedative–hypnotic drugs cause central nervous system depression, putting the patient at risk for injury and falls.
A patient is admitted to the emergency department after taking an overdose of a barbiturate 15 minutes before arrival. The nurse can anticipate that which drug will be prescribed?
A. Naloxone
B. Charcoal (activated charcoal)
C. Ipecac (syrup)
D. Flumazenil
B. Charcoal (activated charcoal)
There is no antidote for a barbiturate. Activated charcoal binds to the drug in the stomach and gastrointestinal tract, preventing its absorption.
During patient teaching, the nurse explains the difference between a sedative and hypnotic with which of the following statements?
A. “Most drugs produce sedation at low doses and produce sleep, the hypnotic effect, at higher doses.”
B. “Sedatives are much stronger than hypnotic drugs and should only be used for short periods of time.”
C. “There really is no difference; the terms are used interchangeably.”
D. “Whereas sedative drugs induce sleep, hypnotic drugs induce a state of hypnosis.”
A. “Most drugs produce sedation at low doses and produce sleep, the hypnotic effect, at higher doses.”
Many drugs have both sedative and hypnotic properties. The sedative properties are evident at low doses, and the hypnotic properties are demonstrated at larger doses.
The health care provider prescribes dantrolene (Dantrium®) to a patient immediately after surgery. What condition does the nurse expect the patient to have experienced?
A. Delirium tremens
B. Tonic-clonic seizure
C. Respiratory arrest
D. Malignant hyperthermia
D. Malignant hyperthermia
Dantrolene is a direct acting skeletal muscle relaxant and is the drug of choice to treat malignant hyperthermia, a possible complication of generalized anaesthesia.
An intravenous dose of midazolam has been prescribed for a patient before a colonoscopy. The nurse informs the patient that one of the most common adverse effects of this medication is which of the following?
A. Chest pain
B. Amnesia
C. Dry mouth
D. Constipation
B. Amnesia
Midazolam is known to cause amnesia and anxiolysis (reduced anxiety), as well as sedation. It is most commonly used preoperatively for certain procedures.
