An older adult complaining of anxiety is prescribed diazepam by a ...

[leilurhhh]

An older adult complaining of anxiety is prescribed diazepam by a family physician. The physician asks the office nurse to explain to the client the problematic side effects of this medication.
 
  Which instruction about this drug would be most important for the nurse to emphasize?
 
  A) You may experience minor urine incontinence from time to time.
  B) You may find that you have temporary memory disturbances.
  C) You need to use this medication cautiously because it can cause dependence.
  D) You may feel dizzy and be prone to falls after taking this medication.

Question 2

A nurse is performing an admission assessment. The client complains that it has been taking larger and larger amounts of medication to get the desired effect. Based on this information, the nurse interprets this as suggesting which of the following?
 
  A) Desensitization
  B) Tolerance
  C) Therapeutic index
  D) Toxicity

[lindahyatt42]

Answer to Question 1

Ans: D
Diazepam is a benzodiazepine and may cause incontinence, memory disturbances, and dizziness in older adults. However, the risk for falls because of dizziness is a major concern, and this information needs to be emphasized with the client.

Answer to Question 2

Ans: B
Tolerance is a gradual decrease in the action of a drug at a given dose or concentration in the blood. This decrease may take days or weeks to develop and results in a loss of the therapeutic effect of a drug, necessitating an increase in medication to achieve the desired effect. Desensitization is a rapid decrease in drug effects that may develop within a few minutes of exposure to a drug. Toxicity generally refers to the point at which concentrations of the drug in the bloodstream are high enough to become harmful or poisonous to the body. Individuals vary widely in their responses to medications. Some clients experience adverse reactions more easily than others. The therapeutic index is the ratio of the maximum nontoxic dose to the minimum effective dose. A high therapeutic index means that there is a large range between the dose at which the drug begins to take effect and a dose that would be toxic to the body.

[leilurhhh]

Correct answers!

[lindahyatt42]

Great! Please up vote