When assessing a patient before starting a drug regimen, why ...

[nevelica]

When assessing a patient before starting a drug regimen, why would the nurse consider it important to assess baseline kidney function?
 
  A) To anticipate adverse effects of drugs
  B) To determine patient's baseline electrolyte levels
  C) To determine patient's ability to excrete the drug
  D) To determine patient's ability to metabolize the drug

Question 2

What drug does the nurse administer to treat Parkinson's disease that is also classified as an antiviral?
 
  A) Amantadine (Symmetrel)
  B) Entacapone (Comtan)
  C) Diphenhydramine (Benadryl)
  D) Ropinirole (Requip)

[Anonymous]

Answer to Question 1

C
Feedback:
Patients with kidney or liver disease require very cautious medication administration, often needing dosages to be decreased and contraindicating some drugs altogether. The patient's renal status will indicate the ability to excrete the drug. Liver function is needed to assess metabolism. Electrolyte levels would be indicated by serum blood test results, not by studies of kidney function. The nurse's goal is to prevent or minimize adverse effects of drugs, not to anticipate them.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
Amantadine is an antiviral drug that increases the release of dopamine and is effective in Parkinson's disease so long as there is a possibility of more dopamine release. Ropinirole is a dopaminergic antiparkinsonism drugs. Entacapone is used as adjunctive treatment of idiopathic Parkinson's disease with levodopacarbidopa for patients who are experiencing wearing off of drug effects. Diphenhydramine is used, particularly in children, to treat parkinsonism and is also classified as an antihistamine.

[nevelica]

Thank you!

[Anonymous]

Always glad to help...