Exam 49: Antidysrhythmic Drugs

A nursing student asks a nurse how digoxin causes dysrhythmias. The nurse correctly states that digoxin:

A prescriber orders verapamil [Covera-HS] for a patient who is taking digoxin [Lanoxin] and warfarin. The nurse will expect the prescriber to ____ the dose of ____.

A patient will be taking amiodarone [Cordarone]. Which baseline tests are necessary before this medication is started? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse provides teaching for a patient who will begin taking procainamide [Procanbid] for long-term suppression of a dysrhythmia. Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?

A prescriber is considering prescribing the amiodarone derivative dronedarone [Multaq] for a patient with atrial flutter. The nurse should be concerned about which of the following?

The nurse educator is providing patient education about the Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST). The nurse correctly explains that the trial demonstrated what effect from the pharmacologic suppression of dysrhythmias?

A patient is in the intensive care unit after a myocardial infarction. The nurse notes that the QT interval on this patient's electrocardiogram has been elongating. The nurse is concerned that which cardiac dysrhythmia may occur?

A nurse is providing teaching to a patient who is admitted to the hospital for initiation of treatment with amiodarone [Cordarone] for atrial fibrillation that has been refractory to other medications. Which statement by the patient indicates a need for further teaching?

A nurse is discussing adenosine with a nursing student. Which statement by the student indicates a need for further teaching?

A patient is taking digoxin [Lanoxin] and quinidine to treat sustained ventricular tachycardia. Before giving medications,the nurse reviews the patient's electrocardiogram (ECG)and notes a QRS complex that has widened by 50% from the baseline ECG. What will the nurse do?

A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about antidysrhythmic medications. Which statement by a student indicates understanding of the teaching?

The nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about dofetilide [Tikosyn] to treat dysrhythmias. Which statement by a student indicates understanding of the teaching?

A nurse is teaching a patient who is about to undergo direct-current (DC)cardioversion to treat atrial flutter. The patient has been taking verapamil and warfarin for 6 months. Which statement by the patient indicates understanding of the teaching?

Which two classes of antidysrhythmic drugs have nearly identical cardiac effects?

A patient with diabetes develops ventricular tachycardia and is in the hospital for evaluation of this condition. The nurse reviews the history and learns that the patient takes mexiletine [Mexitil] for pain caused by peripheral neuropathy. What should the nurse do?

A nurse is caring for a patient in the intensive care unit who is receiving intravenous lidocaine. The patient is drowsy and confused and reports numbness of the fingers and toes. Which standing order will the nurse initiate at this time?

A patient with atrial fibrillation is taking verapamil [Calan]. The patient has read about the drug on the Internet and wants to know why a drug that affects the rate of ventricular contraction is used to treat an abnormal atrial contraction. What will the nurse tell the patient?

A prescriber has ordered propranolol [Inderal] for a patient with recurrent ventricular tachycardia. The nurse preparing to administer this drug will be concerned about what in the patient's history?

The nurse is teaching a class on dysrhythmias and associated therapy. The nurse asks the class,"Which cardiac dysrhythmia would result in the lowest cardiac output,and what treatment would be effective?" The class best demonstrates understanding by responding that ____ results in the lowest cardiac output,and treatment includes ____.

A patient is taking digoxin [Lanoxin] and develops a dysrhythmia. The nurse reports this finding to the prescriber,who will most likely order what? (Select all that apply.)