81. A client, who is gravida 4, para 3 at 28 weeks' gestation, is dilated 2 cm. A physician has prescribed nifedipine to treat her preterm labor. For which common maternal side effect of the medication should a nurse assess?
81. A client, who is gravida 4, para 3 at 28 weeks' gestation, is dilated 2 cm. A physician has prescribed nifedipine to treat her preterm labor. For which common maternal side effect of the medication should a nurse assess?
Test-Taking Tip
All tocolytics are smooth muscle relaxers and act on the smooth muscles throughout the body. None of the tocolytics cause bradycardia; therefore, eliminate Answer 2 . Eliminate also two other options that relate to other medications: magnesium sulfate (Answer 1) and a beta sympatholytic (Answer 4).
Content Area: Maternity, Intrapartum; Integrated Process: Nursing Process, Assessment; Cognitive Level: Application; Client Need/Subneed: Physiological Integrity/Pharmacological and Parenteral Therapies/Expected Effects/Outcomes
.
Answer 1 is incorrect because decreased deep tendon reflexes are a side effect of magnesium sulfate therapy. Answer 2 is incorrect because bradycardia is not a common side effect of a calcium channel blocker, such as nifedipine. Answer 3 is correct because nifedipine is a calcium channel blocker, more commonly used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease. Nifedipine blocks the passage of calcium into certain tissues, relaxing the uterine muscles and smooth muscles of blood vessels throughout the body. Use of nifedipine for the treatment of preterm labor is an unlabeled use of the drug. Hypotension is a side effect of nifedipine. Answer 4 is incorrect because tachycardia is a side effect of beta-sympatholytic medications, such as terbutaline.
