Vasodilators (direct-acting) are a class of medications commonly used in patients with various cardiac disorders. In this pharmacology NCLEX review quiz, you can test your knowledge of vasodilators to see how well you know what they are used to treat, common side effects, the nurse’s role, and more.
Before taking this review quiz, you may want to review our vasodilator article and our video on vasodilator medications.
Vasodilators NCLEX Review Quiz Questions
Vasodilator Pharmacology NCLEX Review Questions
1. What is one of the main functions of vasodilator medications?
A. Constricts blood vessels to increase blood pressure and cardiac workload
B. Dilates blood vessels to decrease blood pressure and cardiac workload
C. Lowers LDL cholesterol
D. Increases HDL cholesterol
The answer is B. Vasodilators dilate vessels, which helps decrease blood pressure and cardiac workload. Statins can treat cholesterol by both lowering LDL and increasing HDL.
2. Which medication below is NOT in the vasodilator class?
A. Nitroglycerin
B. Minoxidil
C. Hydralazine
D. Hydroxyzine
The answer is D. Hydroxyzine is an antihistamine. Nitroglycerine, minoxidil, and hydralazine are in the vasodilator class of medications.
3. What are vasodilators used to treat?
A. Angina
B. Heart failure
C. Pulmonary Hypertension
D. All of the above
The answer is D, all of the above. Vasodilators work to dilate, or open, blood vessels, which can be helpful in situations where there is blockage of the arteries, increased blood pressure, heart failure, coronary artery disease, or peripheral vascular disease.
4. As the nurse, you are educating a patient on possible side effects to a recently prescribed vasodilator. Which side effect below is not a common side effect of vasodilators?
A. Hypotension
B. Flushing
C. Nausea and vomiting
D. Ototoxicity
The answer is D, ototoxicity. Ototoxicity does not usually occur with vasodilators. Instead, vasodilators are more likely to cause symptoms such as hypotension, flushing, nausea and vomiting, orthostatic hypotension, reflex tachycardia, and edema.
5. A patient is taking hydralazine. Which action by the patient indicates that they should be re-educated about potential side effects of this medication?
A. The patient reports dizziness after abruptly standing up.
B. The patient is lying supine.
C. The patient requests a glass of water.
D. The patient says that they are eating a low-sodium diet.
The answer is A. Vasodilators can lead to orthostatic hypotension, which can cause a significant drop in blood pressure when a person abruptly stands up, leading to dizziness. As the nurse, you should educate the patient that changes in position should be done very slowly to prevent this from occurring. Unless the patient is instructed otherwise, there is generally nothing wrong with lying supine, but moving should be done slowly. In addition, drinking water and eating a low-sodium diet are actions generally recommended for patients taking vasodilators, as excess sodium may affect the drug’s ability to decrease blood pressure effectively.
6. Vasodilators are sometimes used to treat peripheral vascular disease.
A. True
B. False
The answer is A, true. Vasodilators help expand blood vessels and can be helpful to increase blood flow to affected areas. They are also useful in treating angina, heart failure, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, and coronary artery disease.
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