A patient with severe heart failure asks why the prescriber has lowered the dosages of most of the patient's daily medications. What is your best response?
a. With a weaker heart, the drugs stay in your system longer, so you don't need as high a dosage.
b. Your heart drugs enhance the action of your other drugs, reducing the need for higher dosages.
c. Your heart is not strong enough to tolerate these drugs, making the risk for a heart attack higher.
d. The drugs are very expensive, and with these heart problems your health is not expected to improve.
Question 2
A 25-year-old patient is prescribed a drug for acne for 6 months that is teratogenic. Which precaution is most important to teach this patient?
a. Drugs with this classification reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives and you will need to switch to another form of birth control to prevent pregnancy.
b. One side effect of drugs with this classification is nausea, which will make morning sickness more severe if you become pregnant while taking this drug.
c. Use two reliable forms of birth control during the next 6 months because drugs with this classification cause severe birth defects.
d. Your risk for sexually transmitted diseases is increased while taking this drug and for 3 months after therapy is completed.
Schematic of an automated external defibrillator (AED) attached to a patient.
Unlabeled Fetal Pig Heart
Neurohumoral effects of heart failure
A surgeon holds a pacemaker next to an X-ray of a pacemaker implanted in a patient’s chest.
Mechanisms of action of drugs used for heart failure.