Author Question: The nurse administers an intravenous medication with a half-life of 24 hours but recognizes what ... (Read 29 times)

SGallaher96 · **on:** Jul 23, 2018

The nurse administers an intravenous medication with a half-life of 24 hours but recognizes what factors in this patient could extend the drug's half-life? (Select all that apply.)

A) Gastrointestinal disease
B) Kidney disease
C) Liver disease
D) Cardiovascular disease
E) Route of administration

Question 2

A patient, diagnosed with heart failure, would like the nurse to explain what the diagnosis means. How will the nurse explain heart failure?

A) The heart muscle cannot pump effectively causing a backup of blood.
B) The hydrostatic pressure pushing fluid out of the capillaries is lower than the oncotic pressure.
C) The decrease in venous pressure from the backup of blood increases hydrostatic pressure.
D) Increased protein leads to reduced oncotic pressure and inability to pull fluid into the system.

britb2u · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 23, 2018

Answer to Question 1

B, C, D
Feedback:
Kidney disease could slow excretion and extend the drug's half-life. Liver disease could slow metabolism resulting in an extended half-life. Cardiovascular disease could slow distribution resulting in a longer half-life. Gastrointestinal disease would not impact half-life because the medication was injected directly into the bloodstream. Route of administration would not extend half-life because IV injection eliminates the absorption step in the process.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle fails to do its job of effectively pumping blood through the system and blood backs up and the system becomes congested. The rise in venous pressure that results from the backup of blood increases hydrostatic pressure on the venous end of the capillaries. The hydrostatic pressure pushing fluid out of the capillaries becomes greater than the oncotic pressure that is trying to pull the fluid back into the vessel, thus causing fluid to be lost into the body tissues. Protein loss can lead to a fall in oncotic pressure and an inability to pull fluid back into the vascular system.