NURS 3100 Exam 1 Practice

Which of the following are characteristics of an additive drug interaction when a client is taking acetaminophen and codeine for pain relief?

1. Clients can achieve desired effects with the use of lower dosages

2. Taking the two drugs together can potentiate the effects of one or both drugs

3. Taking two drugs together can reduce the effects of one or both drugs

4. The two drugs can produce an action neither would have produced alone

5. Both drugs have similar actions

The correct answer is: Clients can achieve desired effects with the use of lower dosages

An additive drug interaction refers to the combination of two or more drugs that produce the same or similar effects when taken together. In this case, acetaminophen and codeine are both pain relievers, so taking them together would lead to an additive effect. Option A is correct because it states that when taken together, the desired effects of pain relief can be achieved with lower dosages, which is the characteristic of an additive drug interaction. Option B is incorrect because it refers to potentiation, which is the combination of drugs that results in an effect that is greater than the sum of their individual effects. Option C is also incorrect because it refers to diminishment, which is the combination of drugs that results in a decrease in their individual effects. Option D is incorrect because it refers to synergism, which is the combination of drugs that produces an effect that is different from what either drug would have produced alone. Option E is incorrect because it states that both drugs have similar actions, which may or may not be true, but it does not specifically relate to the concept of additive drug interactions.