A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a patient prescribed Guaifenesin. Which of the following statements by the patient indicates correct understanding of the medication's use?
"This will make it easier to cough up mucus."
"I should take this medication with other cough suppressants for best results."
"This medication will eliminate my cough within 24 hours."
"I should avoid drinking fluids while taking this medication."
The Correct Answer is A
A. "This will make it easier to cough up mucus.": Guaifenesin is an expectorant that works by thinning respiratory tract secretions, making it easier to mobilize and expel mucus through coughing. It does not suppress the cough reflex but facilitates a more productive cough.
B. "I should take this medication with other cough suppressants for best results.": Combining an expectorant like guaifenesin with a cough suppressant can be counterproductive. Suppressing the cough may prevent the effective clearing of loosened mucus, potentially worsening congestion.
C. "This medication will eliminate my cough within 24 hours.": Guaifenesin does not provide immediate relief and does not "eliminate" coughs. Its effectiveness depends on consistent use, and improvement may take a few days depending on the underlying cause of the cough.
D. "I should avoid drinking fluids while taking this medication.": Adequate fluid intake is essential while taking guaifenesin, as it enhances the medication's mucolytic effects. Dehydration can reduce its effectiveness and make secretions thicker and harder to clear.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is ["500"]
Explanation
Answer: 500 mcg.
Calculation:
Given quantity = 0.5 mg
Desired unit = mcg (micrograms)
To convert from mg to mcg
1 mg = 1000 mcg
0.5 mg × 1000 mcg/mg
= 500 mcg
Correct Answer is {"A":{"answers":"A"},"B":{"answers":"A"},"C":{"answers":"B"},"D":{"answers":"B"},"E":{"answers":"B"},"F":{"answers":"A"}}
Explanation
- Hypertension: Seen in anticholinergic toxicity due to decreased parasympathetic tone and possible unopposed sympathetic stimulation. The body's inability to relax vascular tone may contribute to elevated blood pressure.
- Urinary Retention: A classic feature of anticholinergic toxicity. Inhibition of muscarinic receptors leads to impaired detrusor muscle contraction, making urination difficult or impossible.
- Hyperthermia: Results from inhibited sweating (anhidrosis), which is a hallmark of anticholinergic toxicity. Without the ability to cool through evaporation, body temperature rises dangerously.
- Diaphoresis: Excessive sweating is mediated by muscarinic receptor activation in cholinergic toxicity. It's often part of the SLUDGE symptoms seen in organophosphate poisoning or cholinesterase inhibitor overdose.
- Bronchoconstriction: Caused by overstimulation of muscarinic receptors in the airways, leading to narrowed bronchi and increased respiratory secretions — a dangerous feature of cholinergic excess.
- Salivation: Prominent in cholinergic toxicity due to unopposed parasympathetic activation. It may occur along with lacrimation, bradycardia, and other signs of excessive cholinergic stimulation.
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