A patient with Parkinson's disease is prescribed Carbidopa/Levodopa. Which of the following statements by the nurse is most accurate regarding this medication?
"You should abruptly stop taking this medication if you experience nausea."
"This medication may cause involuntary movements as a side effect."
"You should take this medication with a high-protein meal to enhance absorption."
"This medication will improve your memory and cognitive function."
The Correct Answer is B
A. "You should abruptly stop taking this medication if you experience nausea.": Abrupt discontinuation of Carbidopa/Levodopa can lead to serious complications such as neuroleptic malignant-like syndrome. Nausea is a common early side effect and should be reported, not used as a reason to stop the medication suddenly.
B. "This medication may cause involuntary movements as a side effect.": Long-term use of Carbidopa/Levodopa can lead to dyskinesias, which are involuntary, erratic movements. These occur due to fluctuating dopamine levels and are a common motor complication in advanced Parkinson's disease.
C. "You should take this medication with a high-protein meal to enhance absorption.": High-protein meals can actually interfere with Levodopa absorption because dietary amino acids compete with the drug for transport across the blood-brain barrier. Protein intake should be evenly distributed throughout the day.
D. "This medication will improve your memory and cognitive function.": Carbidopa/Levodopa is primarily used to treat motor symptoms of Parkinson's disease by replenishing dopamine. It has minimal impact on cognitive symptoms and is not indicated for memory enhancement.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. It increases the metabolism of drugs in the liver: Grapefruit juice actually inhibits, rather than increases, the activity of liver enzymes particularly CYP3A4 resulting in slower drug metabolism and higher plasma concentrations of certain medications.
B. It decreases the absorption of medications: Grapefruit juice does not generally reduce drug absorption. In fact, by inhibiting intestinal enzymes, it can increase the absorption and bioavailability of some drugs, potentially raising them to toxic levels.
C. It only affects medications taken in the morning: The interaction is not time-specific. Grapefruit juice can affect drug metabolism even when consumed hours apart from the medication, as enzyme inhibition can persist for up to 24–72 hours.
D. It blocks the action of enzymes, leading to increased drug levels in the blood: Grapefruit juice inhibits cytochrome P450 enzymes especially CYP3A4 in the intestinal wall. This results in decreased drug breakdown and higher systemic concentrations, increasing the risk of adverse effects and toxicity.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. The safe and toxic plasma levels of the drug are very close to each other: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a small margin between the minimum effective concentration and the toxic concentration. Small dosing errors or individual variations in metabolism can lead to toxicity or subtherapeutic effects, requiring close monitoring.
B. The drug has a wide range between its effective dose and toxic dose: This describes a drug with a wide therapeutic index, which allows more flexibility in dosing without significant risk of toxicity. Narrow therapeutic index drugs are the opposite and require precise dosing.
C. The drug requires infrequent monitoring of serum levels: Medications with a narrow therapeutic index often require frequent serum level monitoring to ensure that the drug stays within the safe and effective range. This helps reduce the risk of adverse effects or treatment failure.
D. The drug has a high margin of safety in clinical use: A high margin of safety is characteristic of drugs with a wide therapeutic index. Narrow therapeutic index drugs have a low safety margin and pose higher risks if not carefully dosed and monitored.
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