The Nervous System Drugs for Anxiety and Sleep Disorders Flashcards
A patient is being treated for an anxiety disorder.
For which reason should the nurse question a benzodiazepine for this patient?
a) Patient has sleep apnea
b) Patient has a history of panic attacks
c) Patient takes NSAIDs for osteoarthritis
d) Patient had a colon resection in the past
a) Patient has sleep apnea
A patient requests a prescription for a sleeping medication.
Which follow-up question should the nurse ask?
a) “Are you pregnant or nursing a baby?”
b) “Are you allergic to diazepam, Valium?”
c) “Have you ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medications, or street drugs?”
d) “Are you taking black cohosh?”
c) “Have you ever abused or been dependent on alcohol, prescription medications, or street drugs?”
The nurse administers chlordiazepoxide (Librium) to a patient.
For which common adverse effect should the nurse assess this patient?
a) Hypertension
b) Lethargy
c) Nausea
d) Thirst
b) Lethargy
A patient is prescribed a benzodiazepine for anxiety.
Which laboratory tests should the nurse anticipate being completed before administering the medication to the patient?
a) Respiratory and cardiac function studies
b) Coagulation and blood chemistry studies
c) Hormone and gastric function studies
d) Hepatic and renal function studies
d) Hepatic and renal function studies
A patient reports tossing and turning instead of sleeping during the night.
Which additional statement should indicate the need for patient teaching?
a) “I exercise before bed to try wearing myself out.”
b) “I’ll try yoga to help me relax and sleep.”
c) “I started meditating to help me sleep at night.”
d) “I’m considering using biofeedback to help me sleep.” “
a) “I exercise before bed to try wearing myself out.”
A patient is prescribed flumazenil (Romazicon).
Which medication overdose should the nurse suspect in this patient?
a) Barbiturate
b) Opioid
c) Benzodiazepine
d) Heparin
c) Benzodiazepine
A patient is prescribed estazolam as treatment for insomnia.
Which information should the nurse provide as an adverse effect of this medication?
a) Hallucinations
b) Impaired memory
c) Muscle cramps
d) Hypersalivation
b) Impaired memory
A patient reports attending yoga classes and meditating every day.
Which health problem should the nurse expect to be improved in this patient?
a) Hypotension
b) Hypoglycemia
c) Arthritis
d) Insomnia
d) Insomnia
A patient with generalized anxiety disorder reports worsening symptoms.
Which parts of the brain should the nurse recall are responsible for storing and responding to memories?
a) Hippocampus and amygdala
b) Hypothalamus and cingulate gyrus
c) Locus coeruleus and thalamus
d) Reticular formation and brainstem
a) Hippocampus and amygdala
A patient with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) requests medication that is not addictive.
Which medication should the nurse anticipate being prescribed for this patient?
a) Chlordiazepoxide (Librium)
b) Clorazepate (Tranxene)
c) Buspirone
d) Diazepam (Valium)
c) Buspirone
A patient being treated for insomnia reports memory lapses.
Which medication should the nurse suspect is causing this side effect?
a) Alprazolam
b) Estazolam
c) Clonazepam
d) Chlordiazepoxide
b) Estazolam
A patient taking a benzodiazepine for the first time asks why driving is prohibited.
Which response should the nurse provide?
a) “The medication can cause deafness.”
b) “The medication can cause difficulty breathing.”
c) “The medication can cause extreme anxiety.”
d) “The medication can decrease alertness.”
d) “The medication can decrease alertness.”
The nurse is reviewing the parts of the brain and associated functions.
Which situation should exemplify the relationship between the hippocampus and amygdala?
a) Painful memories of a spouse’s death cause worsening anxiety.
b) Being startled in the dark triggers rapid heart rate and breathing.
c) Awakening early and being unable to return to sleep causes daytime drowsiness.
d) High levels of work stress contribute to depression.
a) Painful memories of a spouse’s death cause worsening anxiety.
A patient asks why a benzodiazepine was prescribed for anxiety instead of a barbiturate.
Which response should the nurse provide?
a) “Barbiturates are more widely available than other medications.”
b) “Barbiturates do not cause addiction.”
c) “Barbiturates can have significant adverse effects.”
d) “Barbiturates are not as likely to cause overdose symptoms.”
c) “Barbiturates can have significant adverse effects.”
The nurse teaches a patient about benzodiazepines.
Which patient statement should indicate that the teaching was effective?
a) “I’m glad I can still drive my car.”
b) “I’ll change positions slowly.”
c) “I can still have my nightly glass of wine with dinner.”
d) “I’ll keep the medication at my bedside in case I need to take it during the night.”
b) “I’ll change positions slowly.”
