A nurse is reinforcing teaching about receiving epinephrine as an emergency intervention for anaphylaxis. Which of the following information should the nurse reinforce with the client?
Explanation & Rationale
A. Epinephrine relaxes the bronchioles and counteracts the effect of histamine: Epinephrine is the first-line treatment for anaphylaxis because it rapidly relaxes bronchial smooth muscles, reducing airway constriction, and counteracts histamine's effects, which include vasodilation, edema, and hypotension. This helps restore breathing and circulation. B. Epinephrine should be given along with a beta blocker: Administering epinephrine with a beta blocker is dangerous because beta blockers can reduce the effectiveness of epinephrine and may worsen bronchospasm. Beta blockers are not recommended during acute management of anaphylaxis. C. Epinephrine should be administered intranasally: Epinephrine is typically administered intramuscularly (IM), usually into the thigh, during anaphylactic emergencies for rapid absorption. Intranasal administration is not effective for treating life-threatening systemic allergic reactions. D. Epinephrine causes a decrease in blood pressure: Epinephrine actually increases blood pressure by causing vasoconstriction. This counters the dangerous hypotension that occurs during anaphylaxis, helping to stabilize cardiovascular function quickly.