A nurse is taking care of a patient who is having vision difficulty. The ophthalmologist comes to examine the patient and administers eye drops to dilate the patient's pupils
The nurse is aware that the eye drops would be considered what class of medication?
a. Parasympathomimetic agent
b. Sympathetic agonist
c. Sympathetic antagonist
d. Parasympathetic agonist
ANS: B
A sympathetic agonist would cause pupillary dilation or mydriasis, which is necessary for the ophthalmologist to examine the patient's eyes effectively.
A parasympathomimetic agent would cause miosis or pupillary constriction, which is contraindicated for an eye examination.
A sympathetic antagonist would cause pupillary constriction, which is contraindicated for an eye examination.
A parasympathetic agonist would cause constriction of the pupils, because it mimics the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system; this is contraindicated for an eye examination.
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