Exam 19: Antiseizure Drugs

A patient has recently begun taking phenytoin (Dilantin)for a seizure disorder.The nurse notes a reddish-brown color to the patient's urine.Which action will the nurse take?

The nurse is preparing to assist with blood collection on a newly admitted patient who has been taking phenytoin for several years.The provider has ordered a complete blood count and liver function tests.Which other blood test will the nurse discuss with the provider?

A pregnant woman who is in labor has a blood pressure of 189/110 mm Hg and exhibits muscle contractions followed by jerking of her arms and legs.The nurse will prepare to administer which medication to this patient?

The nurse provides teaching for a patient who will begin taking phenytoin.Which statement by the patient indicates understanding of the teaching?

The nurse is preparing to administer phenytoin (Dilantin)to a patient who has a seizure disorder.The patient appears drowsy,and the nurse notes that the last random serum drug level was 18 mcg/mL.What action will the nurse take?

A patient will begin taking the antiepileptic drug ethosuximide (Zarontin)and asks the nurse whether to take the drug with or without food.The nurse will counsel the patient to take this medication

A female patient who takes phenytoin for epilepsy becomes pregnant.The nurse will notify the patient's provider and will anticipate that the provider will take which action?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has a seizure disorder.The nurse notes that the patient has reddened gums that bleed when oral care is given.The nurse recognizes this finding as

A patient who takes phenytoin reports regular alcohol consumption.The nurse might expect a serum phenytoin level in this patient to be in which range?

The nurse is providing teaching to the parents of a 5-year-old child who will begin taking phenytoin (Dilantin).What information will the nurse include when teaching these parents about their child's medication?

A patient has recently begun taking carbamazepine (Tegretol)as an adjunct medication to treat refractory seizures.The patient has a serum carbamazepine level of 18 mcg/mL.What action will the nurse take?

The nurse is caring for a patient who has been diagnosed with petit mal seizures.The nurse will anticipate teaching this patient about which antiepileptic medication?

A 25-year-old female patient will begin taking phenytoin for epilepsy.The patient tells the nurse she is taking oral contraceptives (OCPs).Which response will the nurse give?

A patient who has epilepsy will begin an anticonvulsant medication.The patient asks the nurse how long the medication will be necessary.How will the nurse respond?

A patient is diagnosed with epilepsy and asks the nurse what may have caused this condition.The nurse explains that epilepsy is most often

A parent expresses concern that a 5-year-old child may develop epilepsy because the child experienced a febrile seizure at age 18 months.What will the nurse tell this parent?

A woman who is pregnant is taking an anticonvulsant medication to treat a seizure disorder.The nurse will ensure that the patient takes which dietary supplement toward the end of her pregnancy?

An intubated child is brought to the emergency department while having a seizure that has been progressing for 20 minutes.Which drug will the nurse anticipate administering to this patient first?

A parent of a child who has been taking valproic acid (Depakote)for several years calls the clinic to report a recent recurrence of seizures and states that the child is having three or four seizures per week.The nurse will perform which action first?

The nurse is preparing to administer phenytoin to an 80-year-old patient and notes the following order: IVP phenytoin 50 mg.The nurse will perform which action?