A nurse is ordered to draw blood levels for a person receiving an ...

[cartlidgeashley]

A nurse is ordered to draw blood levels for a person receiving an antibiotic. The nurse is aware that peaks and troughs of serum antibiotic levels are monitored for drugs with a:
 
  a. narrow therapeutic index.
  b. large therapeutic index.
  c. long half-life.
  d. short half-life.

Question 2

A client's medication warrants peak and trough levels to be drawn. The nurse is aware that if the peak level of the drug is too high, what could occur?
 
  a. Mild side effects
  b. Inadequate drug action
  c. Slow onset of drug action
  d. Drug toxicity

[mcomstock09]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: A
Medications with a narrow therapeutic index have a limited range between the therapeutic dose and the lethal dose.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
High peak levels may indicate that the medication is above the toxic level.

[cartlidgeashley]

Excellent

[FergA]

TYSM