Question

An 80-year-old male client presents to the emergency department with a fractured ankle and multiple abrasions and contusions. He is admitted to the hospital with an order for oxycodone for pain. Oxycodone may be prescribed for a geriatric client because the drug has which characteristic?

Answer 1

Answer:

It has a short half-life and is less likely to accumulate, causing toxicity or overdosage.

Explanation:

The complete question is as follows:

An 80-year-old male client presents to the emergency department with a fractured ankle and multiple abrasions and contusions. He is admitted to the hospital with an order for oxycodone for pain. Oxycodone may be prescribed for a geriatric client because the drug has which characteristic?

It has a short half-life and is less likely to accumulate, causing toxicity or overdosage.

It is metabolized by the liver.

It is excreted by the kidney.

It has a long half-life and will manage bone pain more effectively.

• Oxycodone is a narcotic drug that is used for treating pain that can be moderate or severe.
• Oxycodone is an opioid, an opioid acts on the opioid receptors that can produce morphine-like effects and acts as pain relievers.
• Since the 80-year-old client has fractured ankle along with abrasions and contusions he must be administered pain relievers and thus, an opioid has to be prescribed.
• When opioids are prescribed, those with short half-lives are used because they are less likely to accumulate and oxycodone is one of them.