Question

A 59-year-old client is scheduled for cardiac catheterization the next morning. His physician prescribed secobarbital sodium (Seconal), 100 mg by mouth at bedtime, for sedation. Before administering the drug, the nurse should know that:

1. sedatives cause predictable responses; hypnotics cause unpredictable ones.
2. sedatives interact with few drugs; hypnotics interact with many.
3. sedatives don't depress respirations; hypnotics do.
4. sedatives reduce excitement; hypnotics induce sleep.

Answer 1

Before administering the sedative secobarbital sodium, the nurse should understand the differences between sedatives and hypnotics, including their effects and interactions. Sedatives reduce excitement and have predictable responses, while hypnotics induce sleep and have unpredictable responses. Sedatives, such as secobarbital sodium, do not depress respirations, unlike hypnotics.

Step-by-step explanation:

Before administering secobarbital sodium (Seconal) to the 59-year-old client scheduled for cardiac catheterization, the nurse should know that sedatives and hypnotics have different effects and interactions. Sedatives, including secobarbital sodium, can provide predictable responses and reduce excitement, while hypnotics cause unpredictable responses and induce sleep. Sedatives, including secobarbital sodium, can interact with many drugs, while hypnotics interact with fewer drugs. Additionally, hypnotics, including secobarbital sodium, can depress respirations, unlike sedatives, which do not have this effect.