Medications
This medication is a beta-blocker used to treat hypertension and angina by slowing the heart rate.
What is atenolol?
Can cause insomnia, decreased appetite, and tachycardia as common side effects.
What is methylphenidate?
Patients taking this type of drug should be advised about dry mouth, blurred vision, urinary retention, and avoiding overheating due to decreased sweating.
What are anticholinergics?
Before administering this class of drugs, nurses should assess heart rate and blood pressure, and teach patients to rise slowly to prevent dizziness.
What are beta blockers?
This part of the nervous system controls involuntary functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.
What is the Autonomic Nervous System
This drug is a direct-acting cholinergic agonist used to stimulate bladder emptying in patients with urinary retention.
What is bethanechol?
This benzodiazepine can cause sedation, respiratory depression, and dependence with prolonged use.
What is alprazolam?
This class of drugs can affect both beta-1 and beta-2 receptors, meaning patients with asthma should use caution due to possible bronchoconstriction.
What are nonselective beta blockers?
Nurses should monitor for sedation, respiratory depression, and risk of dependence, especially when patients are on this class of medications for anxiety or sleep disorders.
What are benzodiazepines (e.g., alprazolam, zolpidem)?
This nervous system division includes the brain and spinal cord and is responsible for processing and interpreting information.
What is the Central Nervous System
This anticholinergic medication is used to treat overactive bladder by reducing urinary frequency and urgency.
What is tolterodine?
It may cause sleepwalking, hallucinations, and next-day drowsiness as adverse effects.
What is zolpidem?
Patients on this medication class should be taught about increased blood pressure, possible reflex bradycardia, and avoiding use with MAO inhibitors due to hypertensive crisis risk.
What are alpha agonists?
When giving this drug class, nurses should assess for urinary retention, constipation, and dry mouth, and advise patients to avoid overheating due to decreased sweating.
What are anticholinergics (e.g., benztropine, tolterodine, atropine)?
This branch of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate and blood pressure.
What is the Sympathetic Nervous System
This drug is a sympathomimetic that stimulates alpha and beta receptors, often used in anaphylaxis and cardiac arrest.
What is epinephrine?
This anticholinergic drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease can cause dry mouth, urinary retention, and blurred vision.
What is benztropine?
When using this drug class, teach patients to monitor heart rate and blood pressure closely, rise slowly to prevent orthostatic hypotension, and never stop abruptly to avoid rebound hypertension.
What are beta blockers?
For this class of drugs, nurses must monitor for hypertension, palpitations, and possible cardiac arrhythmias, and use caution in patients with heart disease or hyperthyroidism.
What are adrenergic drugs (e.g., epinephrine, alpha agonists)?
This neurotransmitter is the main chemical messenger of the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting "rest and digest" functions.
What is Acetylcholine
This anticholinergic drug increases heart rate and is used in cases of bradycardia or to reduce secretions before surgery.
What is atropine?
May cause gingival hyperplasia, ataxia, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome as serious adverse effects.
What is phenytoin?
This class of drugs stimulates the sympathetic nervous system, so patients should be aware of increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and the potential for jitteriness or tremors.
What are adrenergic drugs?
Patients taking this medication need to be monitored for gingival hyperplasia, and nurses should teach proper oral hygiene and regular dental care.
What is phenytoin?
This medication class blocks the parasympathetic nervous system, leading to increased heart rate, dry mouth, and urinary retention.
What are Anticholinergics