STUVIA 2024/2025
Chapter 20: Drugs for Parkinson Disease and
Alzheimer Disease
ANS: A
This patient is exhibiting signs of Parkinson disease and should be treated with a medication
indicated to treat Parkinson disease such as carbidopa-levodopa. The other drugs are used to treat
Alzheimer disease. - ✔✔An older patient exhibits a shuffling gait, lack of facial expression, and
tremors at rest. The nurse will expect the provider to order which medication for this patient?
a. Carbidopa-levodopa (Sinemet)
b. Donepezil (Aricept)
c. Rivastigmine (Exelon)
d. Tacrine (Cognex)
ANS: C
Parkinson disease (PD) is characterized by an imbalance of dopamine (DA) and acetylcholine (ACh)
caused by an unexplained degeneration of the dopaminergic neurons, allowing the excitatory
response of acetylcholine to exceed the inhibitory response of dopamine. Alzheimer disease (AD)
%
may result from decreased ACh, degeneration of cholinergic neurons, and formation of neuritic
plaques. Dopamine does not appear to play a role in Alzheimer disease. - ✔✔A nursing student asks
the nurse to differentiate the pathology of Alzheimer disease from that of Parkinson disease. Which
description is correct?
a. Alzheimer disease involves a possible excess of acetylcholine and neuritic plaques.
b. Alzheimer disease is caused by decreased amounts of dopamine and degeneration of cholinergic
neurons.
c. Parkinson disease is characterized by an imbalance of dopamine and acetylcholine.
d. Parkinson disease involves increased dopamine production and decreased acetylcholine.
ANS: B
PD is a progressive disorder. Non-pharmacologic measures can lessen symptoms and help patients
and families cope with the disorder. Although the aging process may contribute to the development of
PD, it is not necessarily a normal part of aging. Treatment may slow the progression but does not
arrest or cure the disease. - ✔✔The spouse of a patient newly diagnosed with mild, unilateral
symptoms of Parkinson disease (PD) asks the nurse what, besides medication, can be done to
manage the disease. The nurse will do which of the following?
a. counsel the spouse that parkinsonism is a normal part of the aging process in some people.
b. recommend exercise, nutritional counseling, and group support to help manage the disease.
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, STUVIA 2024/2025
c. tell the spouse that the disease will not progress if mild symptoms are treated early.
d. tell the spouse that medication therapy can be curative if drugs are begun in time.
ANS: D
Benztropine is given to reduce rigidity and improve symptoms of tremor. It does not improve gait,
reduce bradykinesia, or improve mental function. - ✔✔A patient who has Parkinson disease is being
treated with the anticholinergic medication benztropine (Cogentin). The nurse will tell the patient that
this drug will have which effect?
a. Helping the patient to walk faster
b. Improving mental function
c. Minimizing symptoms of bradykinesia
d. Improve tremors
ANS: B
Patients with a history of glaucoma should not take anticholinergic medications, as the drug can
increase the intraocular pressure. Anticholinergics are not contraindicated in patients who have
asthma, hypertension, or irritable bowel disease. - ✔✔The nurse is preparing to administer a first
dose of benztropine (Cogentin) to a patient diagnosed with parkinsonism. The nurse would notify the
%
patient's provider if the patient had a history of which condition?
a. Asthma
b. Glaucoma
c. Hypertension
d. Irritable bowel disease
ANS: C
Urinary retention can occur with anticholinergic medications. Dry mouth is a bothersome, but usually
harmless side effect. The nurse should report the lower-than-expected urine output to the provider.
Increasing fluid intake will not increase urine output in the patient with urinary retention. Renal
function tests are not indicated at this time. - ✔✔The nurse is caring for a patient who is receiving
trihexyphenidyl (Artane) to treat parkinsonism. The patient reports having a dry mouth, and the nurse
notes a urine output of 300 mL in the past 8 hours. Which action will the nurse perform?
a. Encourage increased oral fluids.
b. Obtain an order for intravenous fluids.
c. Report the urine output to the provider.
d. Request an order for renal function tests.
ANS: D
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