The client receives albuterol (Proventil) via inhaler. He asks the nurse why he can't just take a pill. What is the best response by the nurse?

Question

1. "When you inhale the drug the blood supply in your lungs picks it up rapidly, resulting in quicker effects."
2. "Because pills cannot help your illness; you must have inhaled medications for relief of symptoms."
3. "Because pills would produce too many side effects; you will have very few side effects with inhaled medications."
4. "Because this medication cannot be absorbed from your GI tract; the acid in your stomach would destroy it."

Answer 1

1
Rationale 1: The respiratory system offers a rapid and efficient mechanism for delivering drugs. The enormous surface area of the bronchioles and alveoli, and the rich blood supply to these areas, results in an almost instantaneous onset of action for inhaled substances.
Rationale 2: Albuterol (Proventil) can be given orally (PO) but has a faster onset of action if inhaled.
Rationale 3: Inhaled medications also produce side effects.
Rationale 4: Oral medications are effective with some symptoms of respiratory disorders, but inhaled medications work faster.
Global Rationale: The respiratory system offers a rapid and efficient mechanism for delivering drugs. The enormous surface area of the bronchioles and alveoli, and the rich blood supply to these areas, results in an almost instantaneous onset of action for inhaled substances. Albuterol (Proventil) can be given orally (PO) but has a faster onset of action if inhaled. Inhaled medications also produce side effects. Oral medications are effective with some symptoms of respiratory disorders, but inhaled medications work faster.