The nurse is caring for a client with COPD who develops severe shortness of breath upon walking to the bathroom and oxygen saturation of 85% on room air. Which of the following medications would be a priority to treat these symptoms?
Albuterol
Mucolytic
Montelukast
Prednisone
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A reason: Albuterol, a bronchodilator, rapidly opens airways in COPD, relieving acute shortness of breath and improving oxygenation from 85% by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle.
Choice B reason: Mucolytics thin mucus over time, not addressing acute dyspnea or low saturation (85%) quickly, lacking the immediacy needed in this scenario.
Choice C reason: Montelukast prevents asthma inflammation long-term via leukotriene blockade, not providing rapid relief for COPD’s acute bronchospasm or hypoxia here.
Choice D reason: Prednisone reduces COPD inflammation systemically, but its slow onset doesn’t acutely reverse shortness of breath or oxygen drop like a bronchodilator.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["A","B","D"]
Explanation
Choice A reason: Butterfly rash, a malar erythema, is a classic SLE sign, triggered by photosensitivity and immune complex deposition in skin, reflecting systemic inflammation.
Choice B reason: Pleural effusions occur in SLE from serositis, where autoantibodies inflame pleura, causing fluid buildup, a common thoracic manifestation of the disease.
Choice C reason: Elevated ammonia levels relate to liver failure, not SLE, which affects kidneys and joints, not ammonia metabolism, making this unrelated.
Choice D reason: Pericarditis in SLE results from immune-mediated inflammation of the pericardium, causing chest pain and effusion, a frequent cardiac feature.
Choice E reason: Esophageal varices stem from portal hypertension in cirrhosis, not SLE, which targets connective tissues, not liver vasculature directly.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Choice A reason: Maintaining oxygen saturation helps symptoms but doesn’t diagnose the cause (e.g., MI), delaying critical evaluation of atypical pain and dyspnea.
Choice B reason: Ibuprofen relieves pain but risks bleeding in potential MI, not addressing cardiac etiology of jaw, back pain, and shortness of breath urgently.
Choice C reason: Acetaminophen eases pain but doesn’t assess or treat potential cardiac ischemia, missing the diagnostic priority for these MI-like symptoms.
Choice D reason: An EKG identifies cardiac ischemia (e.g., MI) in atypical pain (jaw, back), dyspnea, and nausea, guiding urgent treatment, the priority action here.
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