Dextromethorphan

ATI-format individual drug card with NCLEX-focused assessment, safety, teaching, and source attribution.

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Dextromethorphan

ATI class: Nonopioid antitussive

Action

  • ATI/source-folder candidate for Dextromethorphan; verify mechanism against the source table before validation.

Therapeutic use

  • Review under Upper Respiratory Tract Disorders medication safety.

Nursing assessment

  • Assess cough type, respiratory rate, oxygenation, fever, sputum, age, and duplicate OTC product use.
  • Screen for serotonergic medications and misuse risk.
  • Monitor for dizziness, sedation, confusion, or persistent/worsening cough.

Administration

  • Verify route against the order and source table.

Side effects

  • Verify common side effects against the source table.

Adverse effects

  • Drowsiness
  • Dizziness
  • GI upset
  • Serotonin syndrome risk with interacting medications
  • CNS toxicity with misuse

Interactions

  • MAOIs are a high-risk interaction.
  • SSRIs, SNRIs, and other serotonergic medications increase serotonin syndrome risk.
  • Alcohol and sedatives increase CNS depression.

Contraindications

  • See source-specific contraindications and precautions before administration.

Precautions

  • MAOI use or recent MAOI exposure
  • Persistent cough with fever, rash, dyspnea, or thick sputum requires provider review.
  • Pediatric age restrictions must be verified.

Client teaching

  • Use the correct dosing device and avoid duplicate cold products.
  • Do not combine with alcohol or sedatives unless instructed.
  • Report trouble breathing, high fever, confusion, or cough that persists.

Medication outcomes

  • Therapeutic response with no priority adverse effects.

Antidote / rescue

  • No specific antidote is seeded; hold/question unsafe doses and manage toxicity per provider, facility, or poison-control guidance.

NCLEX priority cues

  • Antitussives and respiratory suppression are an Upper Respiratory study target.
  • Breathing difficulty beats comfort symptoms.
  • Duplicate OTC ingredients create overdose risk.

Medication classes

Source attribution

Google Drive source topic: Upper Respiratory Tract Disorders
google-drive
Sentinel pharmacology API reference
sentinel-api
Manual ATI-format NCLEX candidate normalization
manual-seed

Related study cards

Shows the medication class, ATI cues, source references, and connected study cards for this drug.

12 study links
ATI cueInteraction
Alcohol and sedatives increase CNS depression.

ATI medication interaction concept.

ATI cueNCLEX Priority Cue
Antitussives and respiratory suppression are an Upper Respiratory study target.

ATI medication nclex priority cue concept.

ATI cueNursing Assessment
Assess cough type, respiratory rate, oxygenation, fever, sputum, age, and duplicate OTC product use.

ATI medication nursing assessment concept.

ATI cueMechanism of Action
ATI/source-folder candidate for Dextromethorphan; verify mechanism against the source table before validation.

ATI medication mechanism of action concept.

ATI cueNCLEX Priority Cue
Breathing difficulty beats comfort symptoms.

ATI medication nclex priority cue concept.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
CNS toxicity with misuse

ATI medication adverse effect concept.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
Dizziness

ATI medication adverse effect concept.

ATI cueClient Teaching
Do not combine with alcohol or sedatives unless instructed.

ATI medication client teaching concept.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
Drowsiness

ATI medication adverse effect concept.

ATI cueNCLEX Priority Cue
Duplicate OTC ingredients create overdose risk.

ATI medication nclex priority cue concept.

ATI cueAdverse Effect
GI upset

ATI medication adverse effect concept.

ATI cuePrecaution
MAOI use or recent MAOI exposure

ATI medication precaution concept.