Week 13

Question 1

A nurse or midwife is about to administer digoxin to a person whose apical pulse is 48 beats/min. She should:

a) Give the drug and notify the prescriber that the heart rate is low
b) Retake the pulse in 15 minutes and give the drug if the pulse has not changed
c) Retake the pulse in 1 hour and withhold the drug is the pulse is still less than 60 beats/min.
d) Withhold the drug and notify the prescriber that the heart rate is below 60 beats/min

Answer 1

c) Retake the pulse in 1 hour and withhold the drug is the pulse is still less than 60 beats/min.

Question 2

Antiarrhythmic drugs alter the action potential of the cardiac cells. Because they alter the action potential, antiarrhythmic drugs often:

a) Cause heart failure
b) Alter blood flow to the kidney
c) Cause new arrhythmias
d) Cause electrolyte disturbances

Answer 2

c) Cause new arrhythmias

Question 3

A person who is receiving an antiarrhythmic drug needs:

a) Constant cardiac monitoring until stabilised
b) Frequent blood tests, including drug levels
c) An antidepressant to deal with the psychological depression
d) Dietary changes to prevent irritation of the heart muscle

Answer 3

a) Constant cardiac monitoring until stabilised

Question 4

Medications that increase the force of myocardial contractions have what type of effect?

a) Positive inotropic
b) Negative inotropic
c) Positive chronotropic
d) Negative chronotropic

Answer 4

a) Positive inotropic

Question 5

Digoxin is classified as a:

a) Hypokalaemic
b) Cardiac glycoside
c) Coronary artery vasodilator
d) Positive chronotropic

Answer 5

b) Cardiac glycoside

Question 6

Atropine and hyoscine work by blocking:

a) Nicotinic receptors only
b) Muscarinic and nicotinic receptors
c) Muscarinic receptors only
d) Adrenergic receptors to allow cholinergic receptors to dominate

Answer 6

c) Muscarinic receptors only

Question 7

A nurse or midwife would expect atropine to be used for which of the following?

a) To depress salivation
b) To dry up bronchial secretions
c) To increase the heart rate
d) To promote uterine contractions
e) To treat myasthenia gravis
f) To treat alzheimer’s disease

Answer 7

a) To depress salivation
b) To dry up bronchial secretions
c) To increase the heart rate

Question 8

A health care provider prescribes adrenaline to a patient who was stung by several wasps 30 minutes ago. The nurse knows that the primary purpose of this medication for this client is to:

a) Stop the systemic release of histamine produced by the mast cells
b) Counteract the formation of antibodies in response to an invading organism
c) Increase the number of white blood cells produced to fight the primary invader
d) Increase a declining blood pressure and dilate constricting bronchi associated with anaphylaxis

Answer 8

d) Increase a declining blood pressure and dilate constricting bronchi associated with anaphylaxis

Question 9

A smoker who is being treated for hypertension with a beta-blocker is most likely receiving:

a) A non-specific ß-blocker
b) An α1-specific ß-blocker
c) ß- and α-blockers
d) A ß1-specific blocker

Answer 9

d) A ß1-specific blocker

Question 10

You would caution a person who is taking an adrenergic blocker:

a) To avoid exposure to infection
b) To stop the drug if he or she experiences flu-like symptoms
c) Never to stop the drug abruptly
d) To avoid exposure to the sun

Answer 10

c) Never to stop the drug abruptly