384
P A R T 4
Drugs acting on the central and peripheral nervous systems
C H E C K Y O U R U N D E R S T A N D I N G
Answers to the questions in this chapter can be found in
Appendix A at the back of this book.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
Select the best answer to the following.
1.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive, chronic
neurological disorder that is usually:
a.
associated with severe head injury.
b.
associated with chronic diseases.
c.
associated with old age.
d.
known to affect people of all ages with no known
cause.
2.
Parkinson’s disease reflects an imbalance between
inhibitory and stimulating activity of nerves in the:
a.
reticular activating system.
b.
cerebellum.
c.
basal ganglia.
d.
limbic system.
3.
The main underlying problem with Parkin
son’s disease seems to be a decrease in the
neurotransmitter:
a.
acetylcholine.
b.
noradrenaline.
c.
dopamine.
d.
serotonin.
4.
Anticholinergic drugs are effective in early Parkin
son’s disease. They act:
a.
to block stimulating effects of acetylcholine in
the brain to bring activity back into balance.
b.
to block the signs and symptoms of the disease,
making it more acceptable.
c.
to inhibit dopamine effects in the brain and
increase neuron activity
d.
to increase the effectiveness of the inhibitory
neurotransmitter GABA.
5.
A person receiving an anticholinergic drug for
Parkinson’s disease is planning a winter trip to
Tahiti. The temperature in Tahiti is 20°C warmer
than at home. What precautions should the person
be urged to take?
a.
Take the drug with plenty of water to stay
hydrated.
b.
Reduce dose and take precautions to reduce the
risk for heat stroke.
c.
Wear sunglasses and use sunscreen because of
photophobia that will develop.
d.
Avoid drinking the water to prevent gastric
distress.
6.
Replacing dopamine in the brain would seem to be
the best treatment for Parkinson’s disease. This is
difficult because dopamine:
a.
is broken down in gastric acid.
b.
is not available in drug form.
c.
cannot cross the blood–brain barrier.
d.
is used peripherally before reaching the brain.
7.
A person taking levodopa and over-the-counter
megavitamins might experience:
a.
cure from Parkinson’s disease.
b.
return of Parkinson’s symptoms.
c.
improved health and wellbeing.
d.
a resistance to viral infections.
8.
A person who has been diagnosed with Parkin
son’s disease for many years and whose symptoms
were controlled using
Sinemet
has started to exhibit
increasing signs of the disease. Possible treatment
might include:
a.
increased exercise program.
b.
addition of benztropine to the drug regimen.
c.
combination therapy with an anticholinergic
drug.
d.
changes in diet to eliminate vitamin B
6
.
MULTIPLE RESPONSE
Select all that apply.
1.
A person asks the nurse to explain parkinsonism
to him. Which of the following possible causes of
parkinsonism might be included in the explanation?
a.
adverse effect of drug therapy
b.
brain injury
c.
viral infection
d.
dementia
e.
bacterial infection
f.
birth defect
2.
No therapy is available that will stop the loss of
neurons and the eventual decline of function in
people with Parkinson’s disease. As a result, care
should involve which of the following interventions?
a.
regular exercises to slow loss of function
b.
supportive education as drugs fail and new
therapy is needed
c.
community and family support networking
d.
discontinuation of drug therapy to test for a cure
e.
special vitamin therapy to slow the loss of the
neurons
f.
explanations of the adjunctive drug therapy that
may be used
