The nurse administers a drug that stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. What physiologic response would indicate that the drug is working?

A) Reducing some of the tremors: Benztropine (Cogentin) is an anticholinergic medication commonly used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease to help manage symptoms. It works by blocking the effects of acetylcholine, which can help to restore the balance between acetylcholine and dopamine in the brain. This helps reduce symptoms like tremors and rigidity, which are common in Parkinson’s disease. Although it may not completely eliminate these symptoms, it can significantly reduce tremors, making this the most accurate effect of the drug.

B) Improving mental function: Benztropine is not intended to improve mental function. In fact, anticholinergic medications like benztropine can sometimes cause cognitive side effects, including memory problems or confusion, particularly in older patients. While the drug is effective in reducing motor symptoms, it is not used to enhance cognitive abilities in Parkinson’s disease.

C) Helping the patient to walk faster: Benztropine does not directly improve gait speed or help a patient walk faster. The drug primarily targets motor symptoms like tremors and rigidity rather than improving bradykinesia (slowness of movement), which is often the cause of walking difficulty in Parkinson’s patients. Medications such as levodopa or dopamine agonists are typically used to address issues related to bradykinesia and movement speed.

D) Minimizing symptoms of bradykinesia: While benztropine can help manage tremors and rigidity, it is not particularly effective for bradykinesia, which is the hallmark symptom of Parkinson’s disease. Bradykinesia is best addressed with dopaminergic medications like levodopa or dopamine agonists. Therefore, benztropine would not be the first choice for minimizing bradykinesia symptoms.

A) Interferon-B (IFN-B): Interferon-beta is a disease-modifying therapy (DMT) used for multiple sclerosis (MS) to reduce the frequency and severity of attacks and slow disease progression. However, it is not typically used during an acute exacerbation of MS. It is more commonly prescribed for long-term management of the disease.
B) Mitoxantrone: Mitoxantrone is an immunosuppressive agent that is used as a disease-modifying therapy for patients with more aggressive forms of MS. While it can be helpful in reducing the frequency of attacks, it is not the first-line treatment during an acute relapse. Mitoxantrone is often considered for long-term use when other therapies are not effective.
C) Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone): Glatiramer acetate is another disease-modifying therapy for MS. It works by altering the immune response to protect the myelin sheath. Like interferon-beta, it is used for long-term management, not for acute attacks. It is not typically used during an exacerbation of MS.
D) Methylprednisolone (Solu-Medrol): Methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid, is the standard treatment for acute exacerbations of multiple sclerosis. It works by reducing inflammation, which helps to decrease the severity of symptoms during an MS relapse. The nurse would anticipate this drug being prescribed to manage the acute inflammatory episode and speed recovery from the attack. This medication is often administered intravenously in high doses and then tapered as the patient stabilizes.