Name of Drug Action Mechanism of Action
Magnesium Mineral/ Magnesium is the second
Sulfate Anticonvulsant most plentiful cation of
Injection the intracellular fluids. It
(Magnesium Magnesium is the is essential for the
Sulfate/ Epsom second most plentiful activity of many enzyme
Salt) cation of the systems and plays an
intracellular fluids. It important role with
is essential for the regard to neurochemical
activity of many transmission and
enzyme systems and muscular excitability.
plays an important Magnesium sulfate
role with regard to reduces striated muscle
neurochemical contractions and blocks
transmission and peripheral
muscular excitability. neuromuscular
Deficits are transmission by reducing
accompanied by a acetylcholine release at
variety of structural and the myoneural junction.
functional disturbances. Additionally,
Magnesium inhibits
Ca2+ influx through
dihydropyridine-
sensitive, voltage-
dependent channels. This
accounts for much of its
relaxant action on
vascular smooth muscle.
Indication Contraindications
the most Magnesium sulfate
common should be given very
medicine used cautiously in the presence
for preventing of serious impairment of
eclampsia renal function since it is
(seizures) during excreted almost entirely
pregnancy by the kidneys. This
product contains
aluminum that may be
toxic.
Aluminum may reach
toxic levels with
prolonged parenteral
administration if kidney
function is impaired.
Magnesium sulfate should
not be administered
parenterally in patients with
heart block or myocardial
damage.
VI. Drug Tabulation
Side Effects/Adverse Effects
Flushing, sweating, sharply lowered
blood pressure, hypothermia, stupor
and ultimately, respiratory depression.
Nursing Responsibilities
Before the administration of drug:
 Verify Doctor’s order
 Remember the 10R’s of Drug
administration
During the administration of drug:
 Verify patient’s identification
 Inform the patient with
regards to drug administration
 Clean the IV port prior to
administration of the drug
After the administration of drug:
 Monitor patient for adverse
effects
 Inform patient that easy
bruising may occur
 Caution patient not to stop
taking drug abruptly without
first consulting prescriber
Name of Drug Action Mechanism of Action Indication Contraindications Side Effects/Adverse Effects Nursing Responsibilities
Hydralazine Anti-hypertensive Direct vasodilation of an intravenous MAO inhibitors should be (Common)\ Headache, anorexia, nausea,
Before the administration of drug:
(Apresoline) arterioles (with little medicine for used with caution in patients vomiting, diarrhea, palpitations,
receiving hydralazine. Used tachycardia, angina pectoris.  Verify Doctor’s order
Hydralazine effect on veins) with quickly
apparently lowers lowering with caution in patients with  Remember the 10R’s of Drug
decreased systemic suspected coronary artery
blood pressure by severely high administration
resistance. Although disease.
exerting a peripheral blood pressure
vasodilating effect
exact mechanism during
Apresoline should be used with During the administration of drug:
through a direct unknown, arterial pregnancy
caution in patients with  Verify patient’s identification
vasodilation may advanced renal damage
relaxation of
vascular smooth occur via inhibition of  Inform the patient with
muscle. calcium release from regards to drug administration
Hydralazine, by the sarcoplasmic  Clean the IV port prior to
altering cellular reticulum and administration of the drug
calcium metabolism, inhibition of myosin
interferes with the phosphorylation in After the administration of drug:
calcium movements arterial smooth muscle  Monitor patient for adverse
within effects
cells.
the vascular smooth
muscle that are  Inform patient that easy
responsible for bruising may occur
initiating or maintaining
 Caution patient not to stop
the contractile state.
taking drug abruptly without
first consulting prescriber
Name of Action Mechanism of Indication Contraindica Side Effects/Adverse Nursing Responsibilities
Drug Action tions Effects
Methyldop Anti-hypertensive The exact an oral medicine With sedation, usually Before the administration of drug:
a (Aldomet) mechanism of for controlling active transient, may occur
 Verify Doctor’s order
Methyldop ALDOMET is an aromatic- methyldopa is not high blood hepatic during the initial period
a amino- acid decarboxylase fully elucidated; pressure during disease, of therapy or whenever  Remember the 10R’s of Drug administration
(Aldomet)) inhibitor in animals and in however, the main pregnancy such as the dose is increased.
man. Although the mechanisms of acute Headache, asthenia, or During the administration of drug:
mechanism of action has methyldopa involve hepatitis weakness may be noted as  Verify patient’s identification
yet to be conclusively its actions on alpha- and active early and transient
demonstrated, the adrenergic receptor cirrhosis. symptoms.  Inform the patient with regards to drug administration
antihypertensive effect of and the aromatic L- With  Clean the IV port prior to administration of the drug
methyldopa probably is amino acid liver
due to its metabolism to decarboxylase disorders After the administration of drug:
alpha- methylnorepinephr enzyme, to a lesser previousl  Monitor patient for adverse effects
ine, which then lowers extent. The y
arterial pressure by sympathetic outflow associate  Inform patient that easy bruising may occur
stimulation of central is regulated by alpha d with
 Caution patient not to stop taking drug abruptly without first
inhibitory alpha-adrenergic (α)-2 adrenergic methyldo
consulting prescriber
receptors, false receptors and pa
neurotransmission, and/or imidazoline therapy.
reduction of plasma renin receptors expressed With
activity. on adrenergic hypersen
Methyldopa has been neurons within the sitivity to
shown to cause a net rostral ventrolateral any
reduction in the tissue medulla compone
concentration of nt of
serotonin, dopamine, these
norepinephrine, and products.
epinephrine.
On therapy
with
monoamine
oxidase
(MAO)
inhibitors.
Name of Action Mechanism of Indication Contraindications Side Effects/Adverse Nursing Responsibilities
Drug Action Effects
Labetalol Anti-hypertensive Labetalol non- an The drug is contraindicated in Body as a Whole: Fever. Before the administration of drug:
(Trandate) selectively intravenous bronchial asthma, overt cardiac
 Verify Doctor’s order
Labetalol HCl antagonizes beta- medicine for failure, greater- than-first-degree Cardiovascular:
combines both adrenergic quickly heart block, cardiogenic shock, Hypotension, and rarely,  Remember the 10R’s of Drug administration
selective, competitive, receptors, and lowering severe bradycardia, other syncope, bradycardia,
alpha1-adrenergic selectively severely conditions associated with severe heart block. During the administration of drug:
blocking and antagonizes alpha- high blood and prolonged hypotension, and in  Verify patient’s identification
nonselective, 1-adrenergic pressure in patients with a history of Central and Peripheral
competitive, beta- receptors. Followin the hospital, hypersensitivity to any component  Inform the patient with regards to drug
Nervous Systems:
adrenergic blocking g oral and also an of the product. administration
Paresthesia, most
activity in a single administration, oral frequently  Clean the IV port prior to administration of
substance. In man, the labetalol has 3 medicine for described as scalp tingling. the drug
ratios times the beta- controlling In most cases, it was mild
of alpha- to beta- blocking ability high blood and transient and usually After the administration of drug:
blockade have been than alpha- pressure occurred at the beginning  Monitor patient for adverse effects
estimated to be blocking ability. during of treatment.
approximately 1:3 and pregnancy  Inform patient that easy bruising may occur
1:7 following oral and Collagen Disorders:  Caution patient not to stop taking drug
intravenous (IV) Systemic lupus abruptly without first consulting prescriber
administration, erythematosus, positive
respectively. antinuclear factor.
Beta2-agonist activity
has been
demonstrated in
animals with minimal
beta1- agonist (ISA)
activity detected. In
animals, at doses
greater than those
required for alpha- or
beta- adrenergic
blockade, a
membrane stabilizing
effect has been
demonstrated.
Name of Action
Drug
Nifedipine Anti-hypertensive
(Adalat)
The mechanism by which
nifedipine reduces arterial
blood pressure involves
peripheral arterial
vasodilatation and,
consequently, a reduction
in peripheral vascular
resistance. The increased
peripheral vascular
resistance, an underlying
cause of hypertension,
results from an increase in
active tension in the
vascular smooth muscle.
Studies have demonstrated
that the increase in active
tension reflects an increase
in cytosolic free calcium.
Mechanism of Action Indication Contraindications Side Effects/Adverse Nursing Responsibilities
Effects
Nifedipine blocks an oral Concomitant Body as a Before the administration of drug:
voltage gated L-type medicine for administration with strong Whole/Systemic: chest
 Verify Doctor’s order
calcium channels in controlling P450 inducers, such as pain, leg pain
vascular smooth muscle high blood rifampin, are
 Remember the 10R’s of Drug administration
and myocardial pressure during contraindicated since the Central Nervous
cells.This blockage pregnancy efficacy of nifedipine System: paresthesia, During the administration of drug:
prevents the entry of tablets could be vertigo  Verify patient’s identification
calcium ions into cells significantly reduced.
during depolarization,  Inform the patient with regards to drug
Dermatologic: rash
reducing peripheral Nifedipine must not be administration
arterial vascular used in cases of Gastrointestinal:
 Clean the IV port prior to administration of the
resistance and dilating cardiogenic shock. constipation drug
coronary arteries. These
actions reduce blood Musculoskeletal: leg After the administration of drug:
pressure and increase Known hypersensitivity to cramps  Monitor patient for adverse effects
the supply of oxygen to nifedipine.
the heart, alleviating Respiratory:  Inform patient that easy bruising may occur
angina. epistaxis, rhinitis  Caution patient not to stop taking drug abruptly
without first consulting prescriber
Urogenital:
impotence, urinary
frequency