Answer to Question 1
Answer: 4
1. Narcan is an antagonist. Morphine is an agonist.
2. A drug with a longer half-life takes longer to be eliminated and would not be used to counter the effects of morphine.
3. Antihistamines block histamines and are not used to counter the effects of morphine. A loading dose would not be beneficial.
4. Narcan is an antagonist and will reverse the effects of a narcotic such as morphine.
Answer to Question 2
Answer: 4
1. The older client has a decreased amount of lean body weight, which affects distribution of the drug.
2. Reduced blood flow to the kidney affects the excretion, not the effectiveness, of the drug.
3. Drugs are processed by the liver, which has decreased blood flow and thus a slower processing rate.
4. As clients age, the stomach empties more slowly. This makes the absorption time longer than in a younger client. For older clients in significant pain the nurse might consider a different route of administration, such as IV or IM.