A nurse is teaching a client who has a new prescription for a nitroglycerin transdermal patch.
Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
Apply a new patch if you have chest pain.
Discontinue the patch if you experience a headache.
Remove the patch prior to going to bed.
Cover the patch with dry gauze when taking a shower.
The Correct Answer is C
Nitroglycerin transdermal patches are used to prevent episodes of angina (chest pain) in people who have coronary artery disease (narrowing of the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart). They work by relaxing the blood vessels so that the heart does not need to work as hard and therefore does not need as much oxygen.
Choice A is wrong because nitroglycerin transdermal patches cannot be used to treat an attack of angina once it has begun. They can only be used to prevent attacks of angina. If you have chest pain, you should use another form of nitroglycerin, such as sublingual tablets or spray.
Choice B is wrong because headache is a common side effect of nitroglycerin transdermal patches and does not mean that you should stop using them. However, you should tell your doctor if the headaches are severe or do not go away. You may also take acetaminophen to relieve the headache.
Choice D is wrong because you do not need to cover the patch with dry gauze when taking a shower. You may shower while you are wearing a nitroglycerin skin patch. If a patch loosens or falls off, replace it with a fresh one.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Taking a high-ceiling diuretic predisposes this client to developing digoxin toxicity because it can cause hypokalemia (low blood potassium level), which increases the sensitivity of the heart to digoxin. Digoxin is a medicine that is used to treat heart failure or arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) by increasing cardiac contractility and controlling the heart rate. Digoxin toxicity happens when there is too much digoxin in the body and it becomes harmful, causing symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, headache, confusion, vision disturbance, and irregular heartbeat.
Choice A is wrong because taking an HMG CoA reductase inhibitor (also called a statin) does not increase the risk of digoxin toxicity.
Statins are lipid-lowering medications used to prevent coronary heart disease by blocking an enzyme involved in cholesterol synthesis.
Statins do not affect the blood potassium level or the sensitivity of the heart to digoxin.
Choice B is wrong because having a 10-year history of COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) does not increase the risk of digoxin toxicity. COPD is a lung condition that causes breathing difficulties and chronic inflammation.
COPD does not affect the blood potassium level or the sensitivity of the heart to digoxin.
Choice D is wrong because having a prolapsed mitral valve does not increase the risk of digoxin toxicity.
A prolapsed mitral valve is a condition where the valve between the left atrium and left ventricle of the heart does not close properly, allowing some blood to leak back into the atrium.
A prolapsed mitral valve does not affect the blood potassium level or the sensitivity of the heart to digoxin.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
This is because fever is a common sign of an acute infusion reaction that can occur when receiving IV amphotericin B. An acute infusion reaction is caused by the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines from the fungal cell wall disruption by amphotericin B. It usually occurs within the first hour of infusion and can be prevented by administering pre-medications such as antipyretics, antihistamines, or corticosteroids.
Choice A. Pedal edema is wrong because it is not a typical sign of an acute infusion reaction.
Pedal edema may indicate fluid overload, heart failure, or renal impairment, which are not directly related to amphotericin B infusion.
Choice C. Dry cough is wrong because it is not a typical sign of an acute infusion reaction.
Dry cough may indicate an allergic reaction, pulmonary infection, or interstitial lung disease, which are not directly related to amphotericin B infusion. Choice D. Hyperglycemia is wrong because it is not a typical sign of an acute infusion reaction.
Hyperglycemia may indicate diabetes mellitus, steroid use, or stress response, which are not directly related to amphotericin B infusion.
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