Medications prescribed for the patient

Question 1

Prescribed medications that EMT’s may administer or assist in administrating:

Answer 1

• Inhaled Bronchodilator
• Nitroglycerin
• Epinephrine

Question 2

Inhaled Bronchodilator

Answer 2

cause the bronchioles to dilate.

Question 3

Inhaled Bronchodilator delivered in 2 routes:

Answer 3

• Meter-dose inhaler (MDI)

- Small-Volume Nebulizer

Question 4

Meter-dose inhaler (MDI)

Answer 4

• used by a pt. with a respiratory disease
• designed to deliver the medication with one inhalation.
• Most often prescribed to pts. with history of asthma

Question 5

Small-Volume Nebulizer

To nebulize a medication:

Answer 5

• place it into a specialized chamber & pass oxygen or compresses air through it to create a fine vapor.
• The fine vapor is expelled through a T-tube & into a mouthpiece or mask

Question 6

A Meter-dose inhaler (MDI) administered to pts. who:

Answer 6

• have episodes of bronchoconstriction
• An MDI that we are able to administer or assist the pt. with Beta2-agonist drug that will cause the bronchioles to dilate.

Question 7

Nitroglycerin (nitro)

Answer 7

a medication that is used to treat cardiac pts. with diseases of the coronary arteries that deliver blood to the heart.

Question 8

Nitroglycerin works by:

Answer 8

• a vasodilator
• reduces the workload of the heart, thereby decreasing the demand for oxygen by the heart muscle.
• In addition, it dilates the coronary arteries, which increases the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle.

Question 9

the major side effect of Nitroglycerin is:

Answer 9

-low blood pressure, because it’s a vasodilator

Question 10

Nitroglycerin must not be administered to pts.

Answer 10

• taking erectile dysfunction medications

- pts. who have taken tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra) or sildenafil (Viagra) within the last 48 hrs.

Question 11

Epinephrine

Answer 11

drug used to treat pts. suffering from severe allergic reaction known as anaphylaxis.

Question 12

Anaphylaxis causes

Answer 12

• The pts. blood vessels dilate (vasodilation), decreasing the blood pressure and perfusion.
• The bronchioles constrict, increasing the airway resistance .
• The capillaries leak fluid out(from increase capillary permeability), causing blood volume to decrease.

Question 13

Epinephrine works by

Answer 13

• constricts the vessels, increasing blood pressure
• dilates the bronchioles
• decreases capillary permeability, reducing the leaking of fluid

Question 14

Epinephrine stimulates:

Answer 14

4 receptors:

alpha1, alpha2, beta1 & beta2

Question 15

A medication or drug can have up to 4 names:

Answer 15

• chemical
• generic
• trade(brand)
• official

Question 16

Chemical name

Answer 16

• describes the drugs chemical structure.

- usually the first name associated with the drug

Question 17

Generic name

Answer 17

• also referred to as nonproprietary name

- it is the name assigned to the drug before it is officially listed and is independent of the manufacturer.

Question 18

Trade name

Answer 18

• also referred to the brand name
• is assigned when the drug is released for commercial distribution.
• usually short & easy to recall, may be based on the chemical

Question 19

Official name

Answer 19

• drugs meeting the requirements of the U.S. Pharmacopoeia or National Formulary
• will have U.S.P. or N.F