Chapter 17  Immune Modulators

Chapter 17  Immune Modulators

Complete Chapter Questions And Answers
 

Sample Questions

1. A patient has been diagnosed with hairy cell leukemia. The patient is to begin taking interferon alfa 2b.
What will the nurse include in her instructions to the patient concerning this drug?

A) Avoid drinking alcohol while taking the drug.

B) Continue to maintain maximal physical activity.

C) Increase fluid intake while taking the drug.

D) Treat constipation with over-the-counter laxatives.

Ans: C

Feedback:

Interferon alfa 2b is metabolized in the kidney so adequate fluid intake is needed to promote
metabolism and excretion of the drug as well as to minimize common adverse effects including dry
skin and dizziness. Maintaining maximal physical activity is a good idea but has no relationship to the
use of the drug. Fluids should be increased not decreased while taking the drug. Constipation is not an
associated adverse effect of this medication.

2. The health care provider plans to inject an interferon directly into the patient’s wart. What interferon
will the nurse prepare?

A) Interferon alfa 2a (Roferon-A)

B) Interferon alfacon 1 (Infergen)

C) Interferon alfa n3 (Alferon N)

D) Interferon beta 1a (Avonex)

Ans: C

Feedback:

Interferon alf n3 is used for intralesional treatment of warts. Interferon alfa 2a is used in the treatment
of leukemia. Interferon alfacon 1 is used in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C infection in adults.
Interferon beta 1a is used to treat multiple sclerosis in adults.

3. A 30-year-old woman has been diagnosed with leukemia and will be using an immune modulator for
treatment. What will be important to discuss with the patient when the nurse provides patient teaching

Test Bank – Focus on Nursing Pharmacology (7th Edition by Amy Karch) 271

about her treatment?

A) The need to continue oral contraceptives

B) The need to use barrier contraceptives while taking the drug

C) The need to avoid sexual intercourse while taking the drug

D) The importance of taking an aspirin daily to decrease the adverse effects of the drug

Ans: B

Feedback:

A patient taking an immune modulator would be advised to use barrier contraceptives to prevent
pregnancy. The interaction of the immune modulator and the oral contraceptive may interfere with the
oral contraceptive’s ability to work properly. Asking patients to avoid sexual intercourse is not
necessary if barrier methods are properly used. Daily aspirin would not decrease adverse effects of this
drug.

4. The nurse has an order to administer oprelvekin (Neumega) to a patient for the first time. Before
administering the drug, what allergy would the nurse want to specifically question the patient about?

A) Egg products

B) Escherichia colip​ roduced products

C) Lactose intolerance

D) Penicillin

Ans: B

Feedback:

The interleukins are produced using deoxyribonucleic acid technology and E. coli bacteria. Patients
with known allergy to E. coli products should not receive oprelvekin. The allergies to penicillin, egg
products, or lactose intolerance would not be of concern with this drug.

5. The physician has decided to prescribe T- and B-cell suppressors for a patient diagnosed with psoriasis.
What drug will be ordered for this patient?

A) Alefacept (Amevive)

B) Azathioprine (Imuran)

C) Cyclosporine (Neoral)

D) Glatiramer acetate (Copaxone)

Ans: A

Feedback:

Alefacept is prescribed for patients with severe chronic plaque psoriasis. Cyclosporine is used to
suppress rejection in a variety of transplant situations. Azathioprine is used to treat patients with
rheumatoid arthritis and in prevention of rejection in renal homotransplants. Tacrolimus is used for
prevention of rejection after renal or liver transplantation.