Pharmacology Across the Lifespan

Question 1

Pregnant woman should not take any drugs.
True
False

Answer 1

False

Question 2

A nurse prepares to administer a newly prescribed medication to a 22-year-old woman. The insert in the medication package states, “Category X.” Select the nurse’s best action.
Ask the patient, “Have you been sexually active during the past year?”
Ask the patient, “When was your last menstrual period?”
Assess the patient for a history of sexually transmitted disease.
Inform the patient of the primary actions of the medication.

Answer 2

“When was your last menstrual period?”

Question 3

Which statement about renal excretion in infants is true?
Renal drug excretion is significantly increased at birth.
Adult levels of renal function are achieved by 1 year.
Renal blood flow is high during infancy.
Drugs that are eliminated primarily by renal excretion must be given in higher doses.

Answer 3

Adult levels of renal function are achieved by 1 year.

Question 4

For medications that do not have established pediatric doses, the most common method of extrapolating the appropriate dose is based on which measurement?
Age
Weight
Body surface area
Height and length

Answer 4

Body surface area

Question 5

When assessing for drug effects in the older adult, which phase of pharmacokinetics is the greatest concern?
Excretion
Metabolism
Distribution
Absorption

Answer 5

Excretion

Question 6

The nurse will monitor which laboratory result closely when administering medications to an older adult patient while assessing for adverse drug reactions (ADRs)?
Serum albumin levels
Liver function tests
Serum glucose levels
Creatinine clearance

Answer 6

Creatinine clearance

Question 7

In which timeframe is a pregnancy most susceptible to gross malformation due to teratogenic exposure?

Weeks 3-8
Weeks 9-40
Weeks 1-10
Weeks 1-3

Answer 7

Weeks 3-8

Question 8

We should assume that all drugs can cross the placenta to some extent.
T/F

Answer 8

True

Question 9

Every drug considered safe to administer to an adult are safe for pediatric patients if the dose is adjusted appropriately for size.
T/F

Answer 9

False

Question 10

Drugs & the teratogenic effects

Answer 10

Alcohol - low birth weight and intellectual disabilities

Ibuprofen- premature closure of ductus arteriosos

Isotretinoin - CNS, craniofacial, and cardiovascular effects

Lisinopril - renal failure and skull hypoplasia

Methotrexate - CNS and limb malformations

Phenytoin - growth delay and CNS defects

Tetracycline - tooth bone anomalies