Author Question: The patient comes to the emergency department following an overdose of aspirin, an acidic drug. What ... (Read 94 times)

V@ndy87 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The patient comes to the emergency department following an overdose of aspirin, an acidic drug. What will the best plan of the nurse include?

1. Administration of intravenous fluids to flush the kidneys
2. Administration of ammonium chloride to the patient
3. Administration of sodium bicarbonate to the patient
4. Administration of intravenous proteins to bind the aspirin

Question 2

The patient is admitted to the hospital in chronic renal failure, and is on several medications. What best describes the nurse's assessment of this patient?

1. The patient's liver may compensate for renal failure; the drugs may be effective.
2. The patient may have drug toxicity from all the drugs.
3. The patient may have drug toxicity only if the drugs are excreted by the kidneys.
4. The patient may have decreased effectiveness of the drugs.

bblaney · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

Correct Answer: 3
Rationale: Sodium bicarbonate will alkalinize the urine and increase the excretion of aspirin from the body. Administering proteins will not help with the excretion of aspirin from the body. Administering intravenous (IV) fluids will not increase the excretion of aspirin from the body. Ammonium chloride will acidify the urine and cause reabsorption of the aspirin.

Answer to Question 2

Correct Answer: 2
Rationale: Since the kidneys are the primary route of excretion for many drugs, chronic renal failure puts the patient at risk for drug toxicity. The patient in chronic renal failure will more likely have drug toxicity than decreased effectiveness of the drugs. The liver cannot compensate for renal failure; the patient is at risk for drug toxicity. Since the majority of drugs are excreted by the kidneys, the patient will most likely have drug toxicity.