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The healthcare provider is performing an assessment on a patient who is taking propranolol (Inderal) for supraventricular tachycardia. Which assessment finding is an indication the patient is experiencing an adverse effect of this drug?

  • Bradycardia
  • Paresthesia
  • Urinary retention
  • Dry mouth

    This question is from Khan Academy's NCLEX-RN practice. The correct answer was bradycardia. Wouldn't that be the desired effect in this case though?!
    Thanks!!

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The healthcare provider is performing an assessment on a patient who is taking propranolol (Inderal) for supraventricular tachycardia. Which assessment finding is an indication the patient is experiencing an adverse effect of this drug?

  • Bradycardia
  • Paresthesia
  • Urinary retention
  • Dry mouth

    This question is from Khan Academy's NCLEX-RN practice. The correct answer was bradycardia. Wouldn't that be the desired effect in this case though?!
    Thanks!!

I would think that the desired effect would be a normal heart rate, or normal sinus rhythm. Bradycardia ==

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Ok that makes sense! Thanks! :)

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Specializes in Peds, Med-Surg, Disaster Nsg, Parish Nsg.

Moved to NCLEX Exam, Questions & Answers for more discussion.

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I could be wrong, but here's why I chose bradycardia.. So this med is a beta blocker, which blocks the beta 1 receptor effects to decrease the heart rate, and decrease the contractility of the heart, and also decreases the conductility of the heart and reduce renin. With these actions, it reduces the oxygen's consumption needed by the heart so the heart pumps more effectively...

So if the desired effect is to reduce the afterload (in order to reduce hypertension/resistance of the heart) then there is always that possibility that the heart rate could be reduced too much! (I think! I could be wrong.. this is also helping me study for nclex thinking this out while typing you my response! ;) hehe).

I guess I kind of take it like this, anti-hypertensive meds are good for treating high bp; but again an adverse effect to all anti-hypertensive meds are hypotension.. So same I would think, for this beta blocker med. If it decreases the HR too much, the dose may need to be adjusted for sure? right?

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I could be wrong, but here's why I chose bradycardia.. So this med is a beta blocker, which blocks the beta 1 receptor effects to decrease the heart rate, and decrease the contractility of the heart, and also decreases the conductility of the heart and reduce renin. With these actions, it reduces the oxygen's consumption needed by the heart so the heart pumps more effectively...

So if the desired effect is to reduce the afterload (in order to reduce hypertension/resistance of the heart) then there is always that possibility that the heart rate could be reduced too much! (I think! I could be wrong.. this is also helping me study for nclex thinking this out while typing you my response! ;) hehe).

I guess I kind of take it like this, anti-hypertensive meds are good for treating high bp; but again an adverse effect to all anti-hypertensive meds are hypotension.. So same I would think, for this beta blocker med. If it decreases the HR too much, the dose may need to be adjusted for sure? right?

Good thinking, and an exemplar for how to think through a problem by applying what you know. Again another example of how knowing why is more important than merely memorizing data points.

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
The healthcare provider is performing an assessment on a patient who is taking propranolol (Inderal) for supraventricular tachycardia. Which assessment finding is an indication the patient is experiencing an adverse effect of this drug?

  • Bradycardia
  • Paresthesia
  • Urinary retention
  • Dry mouth

    This question is from Khan Academy's NCLEX-RN practice. The correct answer was bradycardia. Wouldn't that be the desired effect in this case though?!
    Thanks!!

I like to think through each answer and figure out why/why not it's the correct answer:

1. Bradycardia - well, we know we want to decrease the heart rate, but bradycardia indicates that it is TOO low. This is definitely an adverse effect of the "lols" (propranolol, metoprolol, etc.) Let's give this a tentative yes.

2. Paresthesia - while you certainly wouldn't want to experience paresthesia, it's not really a known side effect of this particular medication. Give it a tentative no

3. Urinary retention - this is an adverse effect of anticholinergic medications, not beta blockers. Give this a tentative no

4. Dry mouth - yet another adverse effect of anticholingeric meds, not beta blockers. Give this a no.

So, looking back at the choices, the only tentative yes is bradycardia. The question specifically asks about adverse effects of the beta blocker propranolol. Answer #1 is the only choice that fits, so the answer must be bradycardia.

That's how I try to think through NCLEX questions. Yes/No, if yes, does it answer the question being asked?

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