Deck 12: Basic Principles of Neuropharmacology

Question 1

A nurse is administering drug X to a patient. The drug information states that the drug acts by activating receptors in the peripheral nervous system by increasing transmitter synthesis. The nurse understands that the effect of this drug is to:

A) activate axonal conduction.
B) enhance transmitter storage.
C) increase receptor activation.
D) synthesize supertransmitters.

Answer 1

increase receptor activation.

Question 2

A patient has allergies and takes an antihistamine. The patient wants to know how the drug works. The nurse understands that antihistamines work because they are what?

A) Activators
B) Agonists
C) Antagonists
D) Antidotes

Answer 2

Antagonists

Question 3

A nurse is preparing to administer a medication and learns that it is a nonselective agonist drug. What does the nurse understand about this drug?

A) It directly activates receptors to affect many physiologic processes.
B) It directly activates receptors to affect a specific physiologic process.
C) It prevents receptor activation to affect many physiologic processes.
D) It prevents receptor activation to affect a specific physiologic processes.

Answer 3

It directly activates receptors to affect many physiologic processes.

Question 4

A nursing student asks about drugs that interfere with the termination of transmitter action. Which statement by the nurse is correct?

A) "Drugs act on this process by altering the diffusion of the transmitter away from the synaptic gap."
B) "Drugs can interfere with termination by either increasing or decreasing reuptake of the transmitter."
C) "Drugs in this category lead to decreased activation by the transmitter in the synapse."
D) "These drugs reduce either reuptake or degradation of the transmitter, causing an increase in receptor activation."

Question 5

A nurse learns about a drug that interferes with transmitter storage in the PNS. The transmitter affected by this drug causes an increased heart rate. What response will the nurse expect to see when this drug is administered?

A) Bradycardia
B) Positive inotropic effects
C) Prolonged receptor activation
D) Tachycardia

Question 6

A patient receives morphine and shows signs of toxicity. The prescriber orders naloxone [Narcan] to reverse the effects of the morphine. The nurse understands that the naloxone reverses morphine toxicity by which action on morphine receptor sites?

A) Blocking transmitter reuptake
B) Inhibiting transmitter release
C) Interfering with transmitter storage
D) Preventing activation of receptors

Question 7

A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about neuropharmacology. Which statement by a student about peripheral nervous system (PNS) drugs indicates a need for further teaching?

A) "Drugs affecting axonal conduction have a variety of uses."
B) "Drugs that alter synaptic transmission can be highly selective."
C) "Many PNS drugs act by altering synaptic transmission."
D) "These drugs work by influencing receptor activity."