Practice Question
The nurse is discussing the half-life of amiodarone with a nursing student. What is the correct response by the nurse?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Up to 50 days
Rationale:
🟦 Amiodarone has an extremely long half-life, reaching up to 50 days, which is unusual compared to most cardiac medications.
🟦 This prolonged half-life occurs because the drug is highly lipid-soluble, causing it to accumulate in tissues and be released slowly over time.
🟦 Due to this extended duration, therapeutic effects and adverse reactions may continue for weeks or even months after the medication is discontinued.
🟦 Nurses must understand this pharmacokinetic property to teach clients about the need for long-term monitoring, including liver, thyroid, and pulmonary assessments.
🟦 Clients may also experience delayed onset of full effects, reinforcing the importance of consistent follow-up care.
❌ Incorrect Options:
30–60 minutes: Too short; does not match the drug’s known prolonged elimination.
24 hours: Still far shorter than amiodarone’s documented half-life.
50 minutes: Pharmacologically impossible for this medication.
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This question is from Exam 3 Modules 5 and 6 which contains 73 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: General Exams
- Domain: Medical-surgical📚
- Answer Choices: 4