The nursing instructor is discussing absence seizures and how to ...

[xroflmao]

The nursing instructor is discussing absence seizures and how to treat them in children. A student asks the difference between ethosuximide and methsuximide, the drugs used to control absence seizures. What is the instructor's best response?
 
  A) Ethosuximide has more severe adverse effects than methsuximide.
  B) Seizures are more refractory to methsuximide.
  C) There is no real difference in the drugs.
  D) Methsuximide has more severe adverse effects than ethosuximide.

Question 2

The patient has serum drug levels of an antiepileptic drug ordered. The patient asks the nurse why drug levels are measured. What is the nurse's best response?
 
  A) To evaluate whetherthe therapeutic range is reached
  B) To measure the amount of toxicity
  C) To determine the effect of the drug on body systems
  D) To evaluate the effectiveness of therapy

[EAN94]

Answer to Question 1

D
Feedback:
Ethosuximide and methsuximide are indicated for the control of absence seizures. Ethosuximide should be tried first; methsuximide should be reserved for the treatment of seizures that are refractory to other agents because it is associated with more severe adverse effects.

Answer to Question 2

A
Feedback:
Measuring serum drug levels evaluates whether the therapeutic range of circulating drug can be found in the serum. It does not measure toxicity, which can occur even when the drug level is within prescribed range, and it does not evaluate effectiveness of therapy, which can only be evaluated by determining whether the drug is having the desired effect of reducing number of seizures. To determine the effect the drug is having on other body systems, it would be necessary to draw lab levels that measure functioning of that particular system.