Certified Transport Registered Nurse Certification Practice Exam

What condition results in increased metabolism and drug effects in patients?

1. Hypothermia

2. Hyperthermia

3. Acidosis

4. Vasodilation

The correct answer is: Hyperthermia

The condition that leads to increased metabolism and enhanced drug effects in patients is hyperthermia. When the body experiences elevated temperatures, there is an increase in metabolic activity at the cellular level. This heightened state can promote faster drug absorption, distribution, and elimination processes, ultimately leading to increased pharmacodynamic effects—meaning that the drugs may act more quickly and intensely than they would at normal body temperature. In hyperthermia, the body attempts to regulate its temperature, which can involve a range of physiological changes such as increased heart rate and increased respiratory rate. These changes can affect how the body processes medications, resulting in a potentially altered therapeutic outcome. In clinical settings, it is crucial to monitor patients for both increased sensitivity to drugs and any possible adverse effects that may arise from this accelerated metabolism. The other conditions listed do not produce the same effect on metabolism and drug action. Hypothermia typically decreases metabolic processes, acidosis can affect drug binding and effectiveness without inherently speeding up metabolism, and vasodilation primarily impacts blood flow but does not directly correlate with systemic metabolic rate increases the way hyperthermia does.