Author Question: A prescriber has ordered clonidine Catapres for a patient who has hypertension. The nurse teaches ... (Read 128 times)

littleanan

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 575
A prescriber has ordered clonidine Catapres for a patient who has hypertension. The nurse teaches the patient about side effects of this drug. Which statement by the patient indicates un-derstanding of the teaching?
 
  a. I should chew sugar-free gum or drink water to reduce dry mouth.
  b. I should not drive as long as I am taking this drug.
  c. I should stand up slowly when taking this medication.
  d. I should stop taking this drug if I feel anxious or depressed.

Question 2

A woman who is breast-feeding her infant must take a prescription medication for 2 weeks. The medication is safe, but the patient wants to make sure her baby receives as little of the drug as possible. What will the nurse tell the patient to do?
 
  a. Give the baby formula as long as the mother is taking the medication
  b. Take the medication immediately after breast-feeding
  c. Pump breast milk and feed the baby by bottle
  d. Take the medication 1 hour before breast-feeding



ladyjames123

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 346
Answer to Question 1

A
Xerostomia is a common side effect of clonidine and is often uncomfortable enough that patients stop using the drug. Counseling patients to chew sugar-free gum and take frequent sips of liquid can help alleviate this discomfort. Drowsiness is common, but this side effect becomes less in-tense over time. Patients should be counseled to avoid hazardous activities in the first weeks of therapy if they feel this effect. The hypertensive effects of clonidine are not posture dependent, as they are with the peripheral alpha-adrenergic blockers, so orthostatic hypotension is minimal with this drug. Clonidine causes euphoria, hallucinations, and sedation in high doses and can cause anxiety or depression, although the last two effects are less common. The drug should not be stopped abruptly because of the risk of rebound hypertension, so patients experiencing un-pleasant central nervous system (CNS) effects should consult their provider about withdrawing the medication slowly.

Answer to Question 2

B
Taking the medication immediately after breast-feeding minimizes the drug concentration in the breast milk at the next feeding. Disrupting breast-feeding is not indicated. Pumping the breast milk will not diminish the drugs or drug concentration in the breast milk. Taking the medication 1 hour before breast-feeding will increase concentrations of the drug in the breast milk.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question


 

Did you know?

Pink eye is a term that refers to conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the thin, clear membrane (conjunctiva) over the white part of the eye (sclera). It may be triggered by a virus, bacteria, or foreign body in the eye. Antibiotic eye drops alleviate bacterial conjunctivitis, and antihistamine allergy pills or eye drops help control allergic conjunctivitis symptoms.

Did you know?

Though newer “smart” infusion pumps are increasingly becoming more sophisticated, they cannot prevent all programming and administration errors. Health care professionals that use smart infusion pumps must still practice the rights of medication administration and have other professionals double-check all high-risk infusions.

Did you know?

The average older adult in the United States takes five prescription drugs per day. Half of these drugs contain a sedative. Alcohol should therefore be avoided by most senior citizens because of the dangerous interactions between alcohol and sedatives.

Did you know?

Most women experience menopause in their 50s. However, in 1994, an Italian woman gave birth to a baby boy when she was 61 years old.

Did you know?

The Food and Drug Administration has approved Risperdal, an adult antipsychotic drug, for the symptomatic treatment of irritability in children and adolescents with autism. The approval is the first for the use of a drug to treat behaviors associated with autism in children. These behaviors are included under the general heading of irritability and include aggression, deliberate self-injury, and temper tantrums.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library