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.

Answer and Explanation

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.

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Correct Answer is D

Explanation

A. Minimize the amount of fluid taken while on this drug: Increasing fluid intake is actually recommended to manage potential constipation, another common side effect of anticholinergic medications.
B. Discontinue the medication if adverse effects occur: Discontinuing medication without consulting a healthcare provider is not advisable. Patients should be educated to report any adverse effects to their healthcare provider for appropriate management.
C. Take the medication on an empty stomach to enhance absorption: Benztropine is typically taken with food to minimize gastrointestinal side effects. Taking it on an empty stomach may increase the risk of nausea or stomach upset.
D. Use artificial saliva, sugarless gum, or hard candy to counteract dry mouth: Anticholinergic medications such as benztropine commonly cause dry mouth as a side effect. Stimulating saliva production with these measures can help alleviate dry mouth symptoms.

A. Myoclonic seizures B. Absence seizures C. Status epilepticus D. Tonic-clonic seizures

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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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?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

When a patient is taking an anticholinergic such as benztropine as part of the treatment for Parkinson's disease, the nurse should include which information in the teaching plan?

Correct Answer is D

Explanation

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

The nurse is reviewing herbal therapies. Which is a common use of the herb feverfew?

A nurse is caring for a client who has schizophrenia and is taking haloperidol. The nurse should monitor for which of the following adverse effects of haloperidol?

When a patient is taking an adrenergic agonist drug, the nurse expects to observe which effect?

A 29-year-old patient is admitted to the intensive care unit with the following symptoms: restlessness, hyperactive reflexes, talkativeness, confusion and periods of panic, and tachycardia. The nurse suspects that he may be experiencing the effects of taking which substance?

A nurse is preparing to administer meperidine 35 mg IM to a client every 6 hr PRN for pain. Available is meperidine injection 75 mg/mL. How many mL should the nurse administer per dose? (Round the answer to the nearest tenth. Use a leading zero if it applies. Do not use a trailing zero.)

The nurse is reviewing the food choices of a patient who is taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Which food choice would indicate the need for additional teaching?

A patient has had an overdose of an intravenous cholinergic drug. The nurse expects to administer which drug as an antidote?