CCMA Pharmacology and Injections 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is prescribed metformin for type 2 diabetes. Which of the following is a key counseling point the medical assistant should reinforce?
- Take on an empty stomach to improve absorption
- Avoid alcohol and report any signs of muscle pain or weakness (Correct answer)
- Stop the medication if blood sugar normalizes
- Take a double dose if a dose is missed
Correct answer: Avoid alcohol and report any signs of muscle pain or weakness
Metformin combined with alcohol increases the risk of lactic acidosis, and patients should report muscle pain as an early warning sign.
Question 2: When drawing up two different insulins into one syringe, what is the correct order?
- Draw cloudy (NPH) first, then clear (regular)
- Draw clear (regular) first, then cloudy (NPH) (Correct answer)
- Order does not matter as long as doses are correct
- Always use separate syringes for different insulins
Correct answer: Draw clear (regular) first, then cloudy (NPH)
Clear (short-acting) insulin is drawn first to prevent contamination of the clear vial with the cloudy suspension.
Question 3: A patient receives a subcutaneous injection of 0.5 mL. Which site is LEAST appropriate for this route?
- Abdomen
- Outer thigh
- Deltoid (ventrogluteal area)
- Dorsogluteal muscle (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Dorsogluteal muscle
The dorsogluteal site is an intramuscular, not a subcutaneous, injection site and should be avoided due to proximity to the sciatic nerve.
Question 4: Which drug classification includes medications like loratadine and cetirizine used for allergic rhinitis?
- Corticosteroids
- Second-generation antihistamines (Correct answer)
- Leukotriene receptor antagonists
- Mast cell stabilizers
Correct answer: Second-generation antihistamines
Loratadine and cetirizine are second-generation antihistamines that cause less sedation than first-generation agents.
Question 5: A Schedule II controlled substance requires which of the following?
- No special documentation because it is OTC
- A written or electronic prescription with no refills (Correct answer)
- A standard prescription that allows up to 5 refills
- Verbal order from the provider is sufficient
Correct answer: A written or electronic prescription with no refills
Schedule II substances have high abuse potential and require a written or electronic prescription with no refills allowed.
Question 6: When administering an IM injection into the vastus lateralis, where exactly should the needle be inserted?
- Inner aspect of the thigh, near the femoral artery
- Outer middle third of the thigh (Correct answer)
- Upper inner thigh near the groin
- Behind the knee in the popliteal space
Correct answer: Outer middle third of the thigh
The vastus lateralis IM site is the outer middle third of the thigh, avoiding major nerves and vessels.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the pharmacokinetic term 'half-life'?
- The time for a drug to reach its peak concentration in the bloodstream
- The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50% (Correct answer)
- The duration a drug remains effective at the receptor site
- The time it takes for a drug to be fully absorbed from the GI tract
Correct answer: The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%
Half-life is the time needed for the concentration of a drug in plasma to fall to half its original value.
CCMA Pharmacology and Injections 4
A patient is prescribed metformin for type 2 diabetes.
Which of the following is a key counseling point the medical assistant should reinforce?