A client is newly prescribed a medication that will block the effects of histamine for the treatment of a mental health disorder. The client asks, “What side effects should I anticipate with this new medication?” Which response by the nurse is accurate?
“You should expect weight loss.”
“You should expect to feel drowsy.”
“You should expect to experience insomnia.”
“You should expect your blood pressure to increase.”
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A reason: Histamine blockade, as in antipsychotics like olanzapine, promotes sedation, not weight loss. Weight gain is common due to histamine’s role in appetite regulation via hypothalamic signaling. Weight loss is not a typical side effect, making this response inaccurate for histamine-blocking medications.
Choice B reason: Histamine receptor blockade, common in medications like quetiapine, reduces wakefulness by inhibiting histamine’s alerting effects in the cortex. This causes drowsiness, a frequent side effect in psychiatric treatments, aligning with the pharmacological mechanism and making this the correct response.
Choice C reason: Insomnia is not typical with histamine blockade, which promotes sedation. Histamine enhances alertness; blocking it, as in antihistaminic antipsychotics, induces sleepiness, not wakefulness. This response contradicts the neuropharmacological effect, making it incorrect for expected side effects.
Choice D reason: Blood pressure increase is unrelated to histamine blockade. Histamine affects wakefulness and appetite, not vascular tone directly. Antihistaminic drugs may cause orthostatic hypotension via other receptors, not hypertension, making this response inaccurate for histamine-blocking medication effects.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A reason: Projection involves attributing one’s issues to others, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s dismissal of serious symptoms, like weight loss, suggests denial, not projection. These symptoms may indicate physiological issues, not psychological attribution, making projection incorrect for this defense mechanism.
Choice B reason: Regression involves reverting to childish behaviors, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s claim of a minor cold despite weight loss and fatigue reflects denial, not regression. These symptoms suggest a serious condition, not immature coping, making this an incorrect defense mechanism.
Choice C reason: Denial involves refusing to acknowledge serious symptoms, like weight loss and fatigue, which may indicate a medical condition. By attributing them to a minor cold, the patient avoids reality, a common defense in stress-related cortisol spikes, making this the correct mechanism.
Choice D reason: Displacement redirects emotions to another target, not ignoring symptoms. The patient’s minimization of serious health issues, like fatigue, reflects denial, not redirected feelings. This mechanism is unrelated to dismissing physical symptoms, making it incorrect for the described behavior.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A reason: Serotonin acts on 5-HT receptors, not muscarinic or nicotinic subtypes. It modulates mood and behavior but lacks the receptor diversity of acetylcholine. Serotonin’s receptors are G-protein-coupled or ligand-gated, unrelated to muscarinic or nicotinic mechanisms, making it incorrect for this neurotransmitter classification.
Choice B reason: Acetylcholine binds to muscarinic (G-protein-coupled) and nicotinic (ligand-gated) receptors. Muscarinic receptors regulate parasympathetic functions like heart rate, while nicotinic receptors mediate muscle contraction and CNS signaling. This dual receptor system is unique to acetylcholine, making it the correct neurotransmitter for this question.
Choice C reason: Dopamine acts on D1 and D2 receptors, not muscarinic or nicotinic subtypes. It regulates reward and motor functions but lacks the cholinergic receptor classifications. Dopamine’s receptors are G-protein-coupled, not ligand-gated like nicotinic, making it an incorrect choice for this neurotransmitter property.
Choice D reason: GABA binds to GABA-A (ligand-gated) and GABA-B (G-protein-coupled) receptors, not muscarinic or nicotinic. It inhibits neural activity, unrelated to cholinergic systems. GABA’s receptors mediate inhibitory signaling, not the excitatory or parasympathetic functions of muscarinic/nicotinic receptors, rendering it incorrect for this question.
Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.
Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today
Report Wrong Answer on the Current Question
Do you disagree with the answer? If yes, what is your expected answer? Explain.
Kindly be descriptive with the issue you are facing.