A man suffering with a cold goes to the pharmacy to pick up…

A man suffering with a cold goes to the pharmacy to pick up a prescription for a medication which will dilate his bronchioles to help him breathe more easily, and constrict his nasal vessels to reduce nasal drainage.  You, the pharmacist, warn him that it may have the added side effect of increasing his heart rate, because the cold medication is a ____________.

You work as a nurse practitioner in a busy general practice…

You work as a nurse practitioner in a busy general practice clinic.  You examine a toddler who is crying, running a low-grade fever, and pulling at his ear.  You use the otoscope to examine the ear and you see a dark pink, slightly bulging tympanum.  You suspect a middle ear infection.  Which of the following sentences best explains the cause why these infections are so common in children?