Neurodegenerative Diseases: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease

Neurodegenerative Diseases: Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease ( 8 Questions)

A nurse is evaluating the effectiveness of the education provided to a client who has Alzheimer's disease (AD) and their caregiver about the medication memantine. Which of the following statements by the caregiver indicates a need for further teaching?


Correct Answer: C

Choice A reason:

This is an incorrect answer. The caregiver does not need further teaching if they say that memantine will help reduce the amount of glutamate in their loved one's brain. Memantine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist that works by blocking the excessive stimulation of glutamate, which is a neurotransmitter that is involved in learning, memory, and cognition. Glutamate can be toxic to nerve cells if it accumulates in high levels in AD.

Choice B reason:

This is an incorrect answer. The caregiver does not need further teaching if they say that memantine will help improve their loved one's memory and attention span. Memantine can improve some aspects of cognitive function in clients who have moderate to severe AD by enhancing nerve communication and preventing nerve damage.

Choice C reason:

This is a correct answer. The caregiver needs further teaching if they say that memantine will help prevent their loved one from having seizures or hallucinations. This is not the purpose or effect of memantine, but rather anticonvulsants or antipsychotics, which are medications used to treat seizures or psychosis, respectively. Seizures or hallucinations are not common symptoms of AD, but rather complications that may occur in advanced stages of the disease.

Choice D reason:

This is an incorrect answer. The caregiver does not need further teaching if they say that memantine will help slow down the decline of their loved one's cognitive function. Memantine can slow down the progression of AD and delay the need for institutionalization by preserving some cognitive abilities and daily functioning.




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