Which statement best describes how physiologic doses of glucocorticoids are used?

Physiologic doses of glucocorticoids balance the feedback loop in clients with adrenal insufficiency

Physiologic doses of glucocorticoids have the greatest impact on fluid and electrolyte balance

Physiologic doses of glucocorticoids treat inflammatory disease in the body like rheumatoid arthritis

Physiologic doses of glucocorticoids lower blood glucose in place of insulin

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is A

Choice A reason: Physiologic doses of glucocorticoids, like hydrocortisone, mimic normal cortisol production (20-30 mg/day) in adrenal insufficiency, restoring hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis feedback. This maintains metabolism, stress response, and immune function without excess. This statement is accurate, as these doses replace deficient cortisol to stabilize endocrine function.

Choice B reason: Physiologic doses have minimal impact on fluid and electrolyte balance compared to pharmacologic doses, which cause sodium retention via mineralocorticoid effects. In adrenal insufficiency, physiologic doses normalize cortisol without significant fluid shifts. This statement is inaccurate, as electrolyte effects are secondary and less pronounced.

Choice C reason: Physiologic doses replace cortisol in adrenal insufficiency, not treat inflammation. Pharmacologic (higher) doses suppress inflammation in diseases like rheumatoid arthritis by inhibiting cytokine production. This statement is inaccurate, as physiologic doses are insufficient for anti-inflammatory effects required in such conditions.

Choice D reason: Glucocorticoids increase, not lower, blood glucose by promoting gluconeogenesis and insulin resistance. Physiologic doses maintain normal glucose metabolism in adrenal insufficiency but do not replace insulin’s role. This statement is inaccurate, as glucocorticoids oppose insulin’s glucose-lowering effects, even at physiologic levels.

Nursing Test Bank

Test Bank #1: RN Pharmacology Exams Test Bank #2: RN Medical-Surgical Exams Test Bank #3: RN Fundamentals Exams Test Bank #4: RN Maternal-Newborn Exams Test Bank #5: RN Anatomy and Physiology Exams Test Bank #6: RN Obstetrics and Pediatrics Exams Test Bank #7: RN Fluid and Electrolytes Exams Test Bank #9: RN Adult Health Test Bank #10: RN Dosage Calculation Test Bank #11: RN Community Health Exams Test Bank #12: RN Psychology Exams Test Bank #13: RN Nursing Care Of Children Test Bank #14: RN Foundations of Nursing Exams

Get 100+ Naxlex Exit Exams for $79 Try Naxlex NCLEX-RN (14 Day Free-Trial)

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

Exam #1: RN Comprehensive predictor 2023 proctored exam Exam #2: Ati rn vati comprehensive predictor proctored exam Exam #3: Ati Rn Comprehensive Predictor Proctored Exam 2023 Exam #4: Rn Comprehensive Predictor 2023 Proctored Exam - St. Joseph Exam #5: RN Comprehensive Predictor Proctored Exam (National U CA San Diego) Exam #6: Ati rn comprehensive predictor 2023 retake proctored exam Exam #7: RN Hesi Exit Proctored Exam Exam #8: Hesi RN Exit proctored exam Exam #9: Hesi rn exit proctored exam Exam #10: Hesi Rn compass exit B proctored exam

Free Nursing Study Resources

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: GABA, an inhibitory neurotransmitter, is not the primary target of antidepressants like SSRIs or tricyclics. These drugs focus on monoamines (serotonin, norepinephrine). GABAergic drugs, like benzodiazepines, treat anxiety, not depression. This statement is inaccurate, as antidepressants do not enhance GABA efficacy in the limbic system or cortex.

Choice B reason: SSRIs and tricyclics block reuptake of serotonin and/or norepinephrine in the synaptic cleft, increasing their availability to stimulate postsynaptic receptors. This enhances monoamine signaling, alleviating depressive symptoms. This statement is accurate, as reuptake inhibition is the shared mechanism across these antidepressant classes, targeting mood-regulating neurotransmitters.

Choice C reason: Dopamine receptor antagonism is not a mechanism of antidepressants but is associated with antipsychotics like haloperidol. While some antidepressants indirectly affect dopamine, it is not their primary action. This statement is inaccurate, as SSRIs and tricyclics focus on serotonin and norepinephrine, not dopamine receptor blockade.

Choice D reason: Antagonizing serotonin receptors would reduce serotonin signaling, counteracting antidepressant effects. SSRIs and tricyclics increase serotonin availability via reuptake inhibition, not receptor blockade. This statement is inaccurate, as blocking serotonin receptors is not a mechanism of action for these depression treatments.

A. It will cause less extreme hyperglycemia B. It will cause less sodium and water retention C. It will cause more sodium retention and less water retention D. It will cause more extreme hyperglycemia

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Choice A reason: Prednisone causes hyperglycemia by increasing gluconeogenesis and insulin resistance, similar to other corticosteroids. Its lower mineralocorticoid activity does not significantly reduce this effect compared to other steroids. This statement is inaccurate, as prednisone’s glycemic impact is comparable, not less extreme, than other corticosteroids.

Choice B reason: Prednisone has minimal mineralocorticoid activity compared to steroids like hydrocortisone, resulting in less sodium and water retention. Mineralocorticoids promote renal sodium reabsorption, causing fluid retention. Prednisone’s glucocorticoid dominance reduces these effects, making this statement accurate for expected nursing observations during administration.

Choice C reason: Prednisone’s low mineralocorticoid activity leads to less, not more, sodium retention. It does not disproportionately affect water retention independently of sodium. This statement is inaccurate, as prednisone’s profile minimizes both sodium and water retention compared to steroids with higher mineralocorticoid effects.

Choice D reason: Prednisone causes hyperglycemia, but its effect is not more extreme than other corticosteroids like dexamethasone. Its glucocorticoid activity drives gluconeogenesis similarly across the class. This statement is inaccurate, as prednisone’s hyperglycemic effects are standard, not uniquely severe, among oral corticosteroids.

View Question and Answer

Whether you are a student looking to ace your exams or a practicing nurse seeking to enhance your expertise , our nursing education contents will empower you with the confidence and competence to make a difference in the lives of patients and become a respected leader in the healthcare field.

Visit Naxlex, invest in your future and unlock endless possibilities with our unparalleled nursing education contents today

Which statement best describes how physiologic doses of glucocorticoids are used?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

What is the common mechanism of action for all antidepressants, whether they are SSRIs or tricyclics?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Prednisone is an oral corticosteroid that has less mineralocorticoid activity than other oral steroids. What does the nurse expect when giving this medication?

Correct Answer is B

Explanation

Which statement best describes how physiologic doses of glucocorticoids are used?

A client diagnosed with liver disease asks the nurse why the health care provider is changing the dose of the client’s medications. Which statement is the nurse’s best response?

A client who has been diagnosed with bladder cancer is scheduled for an ileal conduit. Which statement by the nurse to the client accurately describes the ileal conduit?

The nurse is caring for a client who reports taking methotrexate, a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis. What finding, if experienced by the client, would the nurse suspect is a complication of the medication?

The client’s blood sugar this morning is 50 mg/dL. The client states they are cold, sweating, and clammy. Which nursing intervention is most appropriate?

The nurse is designing interventions when using cognitive enhancers for clients with Alzheimer’s disease. Which statement is important to include?

The health care provider recommends daily fiber supplements for an elderly client who is experiencing frequent constipation. What statement is important for the nurse to include when educating a client about these supplements?

Which statement about proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) should be included in a client education workshop?