Kim is using bronchodilators for asthma. The side effects of these drugs that you need to monitor this patient for include:
A. tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, inability to sleep, restlessness, and seizures.
B. tachycardia, headache, dyspnea, temp. 101 F, and wheezing.
C. blurred vision, tachycardia, hypertension, headache, insomnia, and oliguria.
D. restlessness, insomnia, blurred vision, hypertension, chest pain, and muscle weakness.
Correct Answer: A. Tachycardia, nausea, vomiting, heart palpitations, inability to sleep, restlessness, and seizures.
Bronchodilators can produce the side effects listed in answer choice (A) for a short time after the patient begins using them. The adverse effects of bronchodilators are due to sympathetic system activation. The most frequent and common adverse effects include trembling, nervousness, sudden, noticeable heart palpitations, and muscle cramps.
Option B: More severe effects include sudden constriction of the bronchial airways, or paradoxical bronchospasm, hypokalemia, and in rare cases, myocardial infarction. A patient should talk to their primary care physician if they have any comorbidities.
Option C: For anticholinergics, side effects include symptoms caused by a decrease in vagal tone. These can include dry mouth, urinary retention, tachycardia, constipation, and an upset stomach.
Option D: Serious adverse effects of bronchodilators include bronchospasm, hypersensitivity reactions, hypertension, hypotension, cardiac arrest, hypokalemia, and hyperglycemia. Anticholinergics have correlated with dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention, and delirium.