A patient is identified as having stage 2 Alzheimer's disease and elects to take donepezil (Aricept). The patient asks the primary care nurse practitioner (NP) how long the medication will be needed
The NP should tell the patient that donepezil must be taken: a. until symptoms improve.
b. indefinitely because it is not curative.
c. for 24 weeks, which is when cognitive function improves in most patients.
d. until symptoms worsen, when a switch to memantine (Namenda) will be needed.
B
Cholinesterase (ChE) inhibitor drugs such as donepezil diminish symptoms; when the drug is stopped, the symptoms return. Cognitive function will show improvement at about 24 weeks, but the drug must be continued indefinitely.
You might also like to view...
The patient, age 26, is hospitalized with cardiomyopathy. While obtaining a nursing history from her, the nurse recognizes that the increased incidence of cardiomyopathy in young adults
who have minimal risk factors for cardiovascular disease is related to which factor(s)? a. Cocaine use b. Viral infections c. Vitamin B1 deficiencies d. Pregnancy
A nurse suggests melatonin to a client traveling overseas on a 2-week business trip to help with jet lag. The nurse would alert the client to the possibility of which adverse reaction? Select all that apply
A) Depression B) Hypotension C) Headache D) Dry mouth E) Constipation
To perform a nursing assessment correctly, a nurse must remember that pain perception involves several central nervous system (CNS) processes. Which are examples of CNS processes?
a. Afferent pathways carry messages to the spinal cord. b. Efferent pathways stimulate the spinal cord to recognize the location of pain. c. Nociceptors in the brain stimulate the spinal cord. d. Pain receptors in muscle, skin, and subcu-taneous tissue stimulate efferent path-ways.
The nurse is counseling an overweight young man on entry into a weight reduction and exercise program. The nurse is aware that the client is most likely to begin and maintain the program if he
a. can envision himself as thinner. b. feels competent about making the change. c. has read about the program. d. is aware of being overweight.