AMCA AMCA Pharmacology 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which route of drug administration provides the fastest onset of action in an emergency?
- Oral (PO)
- Subcutaneous (SQ)
- Intravenous (IV) (Correct answer)
- Intramuscular (IM)
Correct answer: Intravenous (IV)
Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, providing the fastest onset of action.
Question 2: Which of the following is a beta-1 selective adrenergic blocker used primarily to treat hypertension and heart failure?
- Propranolol
- Metoprolol (Correct answer)
- Carvedilol
- Labetalol
Correct answer: Metoprolol
Metoprolol is a beta-1 selective (cardioselective) beta-blocker, making it preferable in patients with respiratory conditions such as asthma.
Question 3: A patient taking MAO inhibitors should avoid which food to prevent hypertensive crisis?
- Citrus fruits
- Aged cheese (Correct answer)
- White bread
- Fresh milk
Correct answer: Aged cheese
Aged cheese contains high levels of tyramine, which can trigger a life-threatening hypertensive crisis in patients on MAO inhibitors.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of a loading dose when initiating drug therapy?
- To test for allergic reactions before full dosing
- To rapidly achieve therapeutic drug levels (Correct answer)
- To reduce the risk of side effects
- To extend the dosing interval
Correct answer: To rapidly achieve therapeutic drug levels
A loading dose is a larger initial dose given to rapidly reach the desired therapeutic concentration in the blood.
Question 5: Which of the following drug interactions describes one drug increasing the blood levels of another by inhibiting its metabolism?
- Pharmacodynamic antagonism
- Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction (Correct answer)
- Therapeutic substitution
- Synergistic agonism
Correct answer: Pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction
A pharmacokinetic drug-drug interaction occurs when one drug alters the absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion of another, such as by inhibiting cytochrome P450 enzymes.
Question 6: Aspirin is contraindicated in children with viral infections primarily due to the risk of:
- Reye's syndrome (Correct answer)
- Gray baby syndrome
- Kernicterus
- Aplastic anemia
Correct answer: Reye's syndrome
Aspirin use in children with viral illnesses (such as chickenpox or influenza) is associated with Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious condition affecting the liver and brain.
Question 7: The term 'half-life' of a drug refers to:
- The time for a drug to reach maximum effect
- The time required for the drug concentration to decrease by 50% (Correct answer)
- The duration of the drug's therapeutic window
- The time needed for complete drug elimination
Correct answer: The time required for the drug concentration to decrease by 50%
Half-life is the time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%, which influences dosing frequency.
AMCA AMCA Pharmacology 5
Which route of drug administration provides the fastest onset of action in an emergency?