Practice Question
What is a therapeutic effect of theophylline?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Bronchodilation
Rationale:
🌬️ Theophylline is a methylxanthine bronchodilator that relaxes smooth muscle in the bronchi, leading to bronchodilation.
🌬️ It is used in asthma and COPD to improve airflow, reduce wheezing, and lessen shortness of breath.
🌬️ The drug works partly by inhibiting phosphodiesterase, increasing cAMP, and promoting smooth muscle relaxation in the airways.
🌬️ When effective, theophylline helps the client breathe more easily, tolerate activity better, and experience fewer bronchospastic episodes.
🌬️ Because of its narrow therapeutic range, serum levels are often monitored to ensure effective bronchodilation without toxicity (e.g., tremors, tachycardia, seizures).
“Sedation.”
🌬️ Theophylline is actually CNS-stimulating at higher levels and may cause insomnia, nervousness, or tremors, not sedation.
🌬️ Sedation is more associated with antihistamines, benzodiazepines, or opioids, not with methylxanthines.
“Increased blood pressure.”
🌬️ While theophylline can influence heart rate and CNS stimulation, its primary therapeutic goal is bronchodilation, not intentionally raising BP.
🌬️ Any BP changes are side effects, not the desired therapeutic action.
“Decreased heart rate.”
🌬️ Theophylline can actually cause tachycardia and palpitations at higher levels; it is not used to slow heart rate.
🌬️ Medications like beta-blockers are used to decrease heart rate, not theophylline.
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This question is from Custom VN230 Pharmacology Quiz 7 which contains 21 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 4