BKAT Critical Care Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Norepinephrine is a potent vasopressor commonly used in critical care settings to treat hypotension and shock. One of the notable side effects of norepinephrine is that it can cause peripheral vasoconstriction due to its action on alpha-adrenergic receptors, which primarily leads to an increase in blood pressure.

While various side effects can occur with norepinephrine administration, dizziness can result from several mechanisms, including fluctuations in blood pressure or cerebral perfusion changes. In some patients, particularly those who may have underlying cardiac or vascular issues, the increase in systemic vascular resistance can lead to episodes of dizziness, especially when the drug is titrated to higher doses or when there are rapid changes in administration rates.

Hypotension is less likely to be a direct side effect of norepinephrine, as it is primarily used to correct this issue. Bradycardia can also occur but is not a common effect; in many cases, norepinephrine may instead lead to reflex tachycardia due to increased vascular resistance. Nausea is not a primary effect associated with norepinephrine and would be more related to other stressors or medication effects in critically ill patients.

Thus, dizziness aligns more closely with the physiological effects and patient response