The Nervous System Drugs for Seizures Flashcards
(32 cards)
A patient is prescribed carbamazepine (Tegretol).
For which type of seizure should the nurse monitor this patient?
a) Mixed seizure patterns
b) Absence seizures
c) Status epilepticus
d) Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
a) Mixed seizure patterns
A patient has multiple seizures with mixed patterns of activity and recovery.
Which medication should the nurse anticipate being prescribed for this patient?
a) Methsuximide (Celontin)
b) Fosphenytoin (Cerebyx)
c) Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
d) Phenytoin (Dilantin)
c) Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
A patient who has been taking an antiepileptic drug (AED) for several years wants to stop taking the medication.
Which response should the nurse provide?
a) “Your medication can be stopped because you have been seizure free for a year.”
b) “Your medication must be withdrawn slowly over a period of 6 to 12 weeks.”
c) “Your medication can be withdrawn over a 4-week period.”
d) “Your medication cannot be discontinued. Once you start an antiepileptic medication, you will be on it for the rest of your life.”
b) “Your medication must be withdrawn slowly over a period of 6 to 12 weeks.”
The nurse is asked to explain the use of phenytoin (Dilantin) to treat seizures.
Which information should the nurse include when explaining the mechanism of action?
a) It depresses the motor cortex by inhibiting the influx of calcium.
b) It enhances the action of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which inhibits abnormal neuronal discharges.
c) It increases the amount of gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), which suppresses abnormal neuron discharges.
d) It suppresses seizure activity by delaying the influx of sodium.
d) It suppresses seizure activity by delaying the influx of sodium.
A patient is diagnosed with postherpetic neuralgia.
Which antiepileptic drug (AED) should the nurse anticipate being prescribed for this patient?
a) Gabapentin (Neurontin)
b) Phenytoin (Dilantin)
c) Carbamazepine (Tegretol)
d) Valproic acid
a) Gabapentin (Neurontin)
A patient is taking ethosuximide (Zarontin) for absence seizures.
Which adverse effect should the nurse instruct the patient to report while taking this medication?
a) Hypertension
b) Diplopia
c) Suicidal ideation
d) Heart block
c) Suicidal ideation
A patient taking a hydantoin for seizure activity develops a red-purple skin rash with blisters that appears to look like sunburn.
Which adverse effect should the nurse identify?
a) Systemic lupus erythematosus
b) Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
c) Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura
d) Common rash
b) Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)
A patient is taking valproic acid for a seizure disorder.
Which disorder should the nurse expect this patient to have?
a) Tonic-clonic seizures
b) Febrile seizures
c) Atonic seizures
d) Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
d) Lennox-Gastaut syndrome
A patient is prescribed a barbiturate to control seizure activity.
For which medication should the nurse prepare teaching for this patient?
a) Phenobarbital
b) Clonazepam
c) Diazepam
d) Gabapentin
a) Phenobarbital
A patient is prescribed phenytoin (Dilantin) for tonic-clonic seizures.
Which adverse effect should the nurse instruct the patient to report?
a) Blisters that ooze and weep and form hard plaques
b) Painful rash in a linear pattern
c) Red or purple skin rash with possible blisters and sunburn
d) Redness, dilated blood vessels, papules, and pustules on the face
c) Red or purple skin rash with possible blisters and sunburn
A patient is diagnosed with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome.
Which medication should the nurse expect to be prescribed?
a) Dibenzazepine
b) Valproic acid
c) Succinimide
d) Barbiturate
b) Valproic acid
A pregnant patient with no history of epilepsy or a seizure disorder is treated after having a seizure.
For which health problem should the nurse assess this patient?
a) Primidone (Mysoline)
b) Fosphenytoin (Cerebyx)
c) Ethosuximide (Zarontin)
d) Valproic acid (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote)
d) Valproic acid (Depacon, Depakene, Depakote)
A patient has a new onset of a seizure disorder.
Which step should the nurse take first when assessing this patient?
a) Identify the cause of the seizure.
b) Monitor for seizure activity.
c) Start antiepileptic drug therapy.
d) Teach strict medication adherence.
a) Identify the cause of the seizure.
A patient is diagnosed with atonic seizures.
For which manifestation should the nurse assess this patient?
a) Seizures lasting more than 30 minutes
b) Sudden bending forward
c) Loss of muscle control and randomly falling
d) Repetitive movements
c) Loss of muscle control and randomly falling
A pregnant patient with no history of epilepsy or a seizure disorder is treated after having a seizure.
For which health problem should the nurse assess this patient?
a) Eclampsia
b) Brain tumor
c) Meningitis
d) Hypoxia
a) Eclampsia
The teacher of a school-age patient taking an antiepileptic drug (AED) reports hyperactive behavior in the classroom.
Which class of medication should the nurse suspect this patient is taking?
a) Benzodiazepine
b) Barbiturate
c) Succinimide
d) Hydantoin
b) Barbiturate
The nurse is preparing a presentation on seizure disorders.
Which information should the nurse include?
a) The term epilepsy is used to describe any seizure activity.
b) Tonic-clonic seizures last a few seconds.
c) Partial seizures have no aura.
d) Seizures are caused by abnormal or uncontrolled neuronal discharges.
d) Seizures are caused by abnormal or uncontrolled neuronal discharges.
The nurse is teaching a patient about strategies to monitor the effectiveness of a prescribed antiepileptic drug (AED).
Which information should the nurse include?
a) “Keep a diary of pertinent information regarding type, length, and frequency of seizure activity.”
b) “If you miss a dose, you should take an extra dose to maintain therapeutic levels.”
c) “It is fine to take any over-the-counter pain relievers if you need them.”
d) “Do not worry about any laboratory values. Your medication does not require it.”
a) “Keep a diary of pertinent information regarding type, length, and frequency of seizure activity.”
A patient is experiencing seizures due to alcohol withdrawal.
Which benzodiazepine should the nurse recognize as a possible treatment for this patient?
a) Zonisamide (Zonegran)
b) Tiagabine (Gabitril)
c) Diazepam (Valium)
d) Pregabalin (Lyrica)
c) Diazepam (Valium)
An adult patient newly diagnosed with a seizure disorder is prescribed an antiepileptic drug (AED).
Which laboratory test result should the nurse monitor while the patient is taking this medication?
a) Urinalysis
b) Liver and kidney function
c) Prothrombin time (PT)/international normalized ratio (INR)
d) Hemoglobin and hematocrit
b) Liver and kidney function
A patient is experiencing agitation from severe dementia.
Which medication should the nurse suspect may be prescribed for this patient?
a) Lorazepam (Ativan)
b) Diazepam (Valium)
c) Phenytoin (Dilantin)
d) Valproic acid (Depakene)
d) Valproic acid (Depakene)
The nurse teaches a patient about a prescribed antiepileptic drug.
Which patient statement indicates the need for additional teaching?
a) “If I miss a dose, I can take a double dose the next time.”
b) “I should take my medication at the same time every day.”
c) “If it causes my stomach to be upset, I can take my medication with food.”
d) “I should report any adverse effects I am experiencing to my healthcare provider.”
a) “If I miss a dose, I can take a double dose the next time.”
The nurse notes that a patient is prescribed phenobarbital.
Which health problem should the nurse expect to be documented in the patient’s medical record?
a) Schizophrenia
b) Depression
c) Seizure disorder
d) Bipolar disorder
c) Seizure disorder
The nurse is assessing a patient taking a benzodiazepine for seizure activity.
For which finding should the nurse immediately contact the healthcare provider?
a) Lethargy
b) Eye pain
c) Drowsiness
d) Ataxia
b) Eye pain
