NCLEX Practice Question of the Week
Here is the weekly question posted on the NCSBN Learning Extension (it looks like they redesigned their website):
A nurse is caring for a client who is diagnosed with asthma and has developed gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). Which of these medications prescribed for the client may aggravate GERD?
- Anticholinergic
- Corticosteroid
- Histamine blocker
- Antibiotic
The correct answer is: 1 – Anticholinergic
Gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, is when contents from the stomach kick back up to the esophagus and irritating or damaging the mucosal membranes. Common complaints you may hear from patients include chest pain (not radiating like a heart attack chest pain, but a burning sensation – hence the term “heart burn”), nausea, vomiting, and regurgitation of food.
My personal experience with the heart burn feeling is when I’m rushing and eat too much, too fast, and not giving myself time to relax. I was in the 8th grade and I freaked out. Obviously, I’ve learned my lesson… sorta.
Medications that can be used to treat GERD include histamine blockers, proton pump inhibitors, antacids, and motility agents. Medications you should avoid include anticholinergics, beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and bronchodilators, to name a few. These medications can actually bring about symptoms or make them worse.
Check out the WebMD page on GERD for more information (and where I got some of my information from)
