Practice Question
Patient Data.
Answer Choices:
Rationale:
🟠The client’s dizziness, headache, flushing, burning sensation on extremities, and erythema shortly after starting vancomycin are classic signs of "red man syndrome", which is a rate-related adverse drug reaction rather than an allergy.
🟠This reaction occurs when histamine is released due to rapid infusion of the antibiotic.
🟠It is not related to cardiac bradycardia, hypovolemia, or fluid overload.
🟠The drop in blood pressure is due to vasodilation from histamine release, not from fluid loss or heart rate changes.
🟠Prevention includes infusing vancomycin slowly (≥60 minutes for 1 g) and premedicating with antihistamines if the patient has a history of infusion reactions.
🟠Stopping the infusion and notifying the provider—as done here—are the appropriate immediate interventions.
Want to practice more questions like this?
This question is from HESI-RN Pharmacology with NGN-2025 which contains 58 questions.
More Questions from This Exam
A client receives a prescription for IV famotidine. Which finding indicates to the nurse the medication is effective?
Answer Choices:
A receives a new prescription for levothyroxine. Which statement made by the client indicates to the nurse that education was effective?
Answer Choices:
Patient Data.
Answer Choices:
Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: HESI Exam(s)
- Domain: Hesi Pharmacology
- Answer Choices: 0