RN Nursing · Bronchodilator and Anti-Inflammatory Respiratory Medications · Practice question
A patient is concerned about the adverse effects of the beta-2 agonist albuterol. The patient reports the following since starting albuterol: yellow-colored urine, decreased wheezing, palpitations, occasional tremors, and diarrhea. From the patient's list, identify which symptoms are known adverse effects of albuterol.
-
Decreased wheezing
-
Yellow-colored urine
-
✓
Palpitations
-
✓
Occasional tremors
-
Diarrhea
Answer & explanation
Correct: Palpitations · Occasional tremors
Albuterol is a short-acting beta-2 adrenergic agonist that produces bronchodilation by relaxing bronchial smooth muscle. However, beta-2 receptors are not entirely confined to the lungs, and at therapeutic doses albuterol also stimulates beta-1 receptors in the heart and skeletal muscle. This cardiac stimulation produces tachycardia and palpitations, while activation of receptors on skeletal muscle causes the fine tremors patients frequently describe, especially in the hands. Both palpitations and tremors are classic, well-documented adverse effects of albuterol and should be reported if severe or persistent. Decreased wheezing is the therapeutic effect of the drug, not an adverse effect; it indicates the medication is opening the airways as intended. Yellow-colored urine is unrelated to albuterol; it is more commonly associated with dehydration, certain vitamins like B-complex, or medications such as phenazopyridine and rifampin. Diarrhea is not a recognized adverse effect of albuterol; the drug is more likely to cause nervousness, restlessness, headache, and hyperglycemia. The nurse should also assess for serious effects such as paradoxical bronchospasm, hypokalemia from intracellular potassium shifts, and chest pain, and teach the patient to use the inhaler exactly as prescribed.
Practise Bronchodilator and Anti-Inflammatory Respiratory Medications questions
Work through full question sets with instant rationales, timed exams, and progress tracking.
Start practising freeRelated practice questions
- A nurse is teaching a client who has asthma how to use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). The nurse identifies the sequence of steps the client should follow. (Use the ▲▼ arrows to put the steps in order, placing them in the selected order of performance. Use all steps.)
- A nurse is teaching a client who has asthma how to use a metered-dose inhaler (MDI). The nurse identifies the sequence of steps the client should follow. (Use the ▲▼ arrows to put the steps in order, placing them in the selected order of performance. Use all steps.)
- A nurse is caring for a client who is postoperative following an appendectomy. Select words from the choices below to fill in each blank in the following sentence. The nurse should plan to administer ____ and ____ to the client
- A nurse is reinforcing discharge teaching for a client newly prescribed a long-acting bronchodilator (LABA) for chronic asthma management. Which client statement indicates the need for further teaching?