A patient has been given a prescription for levodopa-carbidopa for a new diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. The patient asks the nurse, "Why are there two drugs in this pill?" The nurse's best response reflects which fact?
Carbidopa prevents the breakdown of levodopa in the periphery.
Carbidopa is the biologic precursor of dopamine and can penetrate into the central nervous system.
Carbidopa allows for larger doses of levodopa to be given.
There are concerns about drug-food interactions with levodopa therapy that do not exist with the combination therapy.
The Correct Answer is A
A. Carbidopa prevents the breakdown of levodopa in the periphery, specifically in the gastrointestinal tract and peripheral tissues, allowing more levodopa to reach the brain and be converted to dopamine. This enhances the effectiveness of levodopa therapy in managing the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.
B. Carbidopa is not the biologic precursor of dopamine. It is a peripheral decarboxylase inhibitor that does not cross the blood-brain barrier.
C. Carbidopa does not directly allow for larger doses of levodopa to be given. However, by
inhibiting the peripheral breakdown of levodopa, it enhances the availability of levodopa to the central nervous system, potentially improving therapeutic efficacy.
D. While levodopa-carbidopa combination therapy may have fewer drug-food interactions compared to levodopa alone, the primary reason for combining these medications is to enhance the effectiveness of levodopa by preventing its peripheral breakdown.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. Fever: Fever is not a common adverse effect of haloperidol.
B. Intractable hiccups: While hiccups can occur as a side effect of some medications, they are not a commonly reported adverse effect of haloperidol.
C. Excessive salivation: Excessive salivation is not a typical adverse effect of haloperidol.
D. Extrapyramidal symptoms: Haloperidol, as a first-generation antipsychotic, is known to cause extrapyramidal symptoms such as dystonia, akathisia, parkinsonism, and tardive dyskinesia. Monitoring for these adverse effects is essential during treatment with haloperidol.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Myoclonic seizures are characterized by sudden, brief muscle jerks or twitches. These
movements are usually more pronounced and may involve multiple muscle groups compared to the described behavior, which involves a brief pause in activity without muscle jerks.
B. Absence seizures are characterized by brief episodes of staring or blanking out, often lasting for a few seconds. During an absence seizure, the child may appear to be staring into space, unaware of their surroundings. After the seizure, the child typically resumes their previous
activity without any memory of the event.
C. Status epilepticus refers to a prolonged seizure or a series of seizures without full recovery of consciousness between seizures. This condition is a medical emergency and presents with continuous or recurrent seizures without regaining consciousness.
D. Tonic-clonic seizures involve a sequence of tonic (stiffening) and clonic (jerking) phases, often accompanied by loss of consciousness and sometimes preceded by an aura. The described behavior does not fit the pattern of a tonic-clonic seizure, which typically involves more noticeable motor activity and loss of consciousness.
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