DPT DPT Pharmacology & Pain Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which class of medications is most commonly associated with increased fall risk in older adults due to its anticholinergic and sedative effects?
- Benzodiazepines (Correct answer)
- NSAIDs
- ACE inhibitors
- Statins
Correct answer: Benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines cause sedation, muscle relaxation, and impaired balance, significantly increasing fall risk in elderly patients.
Question 2: A patient on long-term corticosteroid therapy is most at risk for which musculoskeletal complication that a DPT must monitor?
- Osteoporosis (Correct answer)
- Gout
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Plantar fasciitis
Correct answer: Osteoporosis
Chronic corticosteroid use inhibits bone formation and increases bone resorption, leading to steroid-induced osteoporosis.
Question 3: When a patient is taking warfarin, which physical therapy intervention requires the most caution to avoid bleeding complications?
- Deep tissue massage over large vessels (Correct answer)
- Aquatic therapy
- TENS application
- Postural education
Correct answer: Deep tissue massage over large vessels
Deep tissue massage near major vessels in anticoagulated patients risks hematoma formation due to impaired clotting.
Question 4: Which analgesic mechanism do NSAIDs use to reduce inflammation and pain?
- Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes (Correct answer)
- Blocking opioid receptors
- Inhibiting serotonin reuptake
- Blocking voltage-gated sodium channels
Correct answer: Inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes
NSAIDs reduce prostaglandin synthesis by inhibiting COX-1 and COX-2 enzymes, thereby decreasing inflammation and pain.
Question 5: A patient taking beta-blockers has an exercise heart rate of 88 bpm at maximal exertion. What does this indicate about using heart rate for exercise intensity monitoring?
- Heart rate is an unreliable intensity guide due to chronotropic blunting (Correct answer)
- The patient is under-exercising
- The patient should stop exercise immediately
- Heart rate is the most accurate indicator available
Correct answer: Heart rate is an unreliable intensity guide due to chronotropic blunting
Beta-blockers blunt the chronotropic response, making heart rate an unreliable intensity guide; RPE or METs should be used instead.
Question 6: Which opioid-related adverse effect is most critical to assess before initiating a physical therapy session?
- Sedation and altered cognitive status (Correct answer)
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Dry mouth
Correct answer: Sedation and altered cognitive status
Sedation and cognitive impairment from opioids compromise patient safety during exercise and balance activities.
DPT DPT Pharmacology & Pain Management 1
Which class of medications is most commonly associated with increased fall risk in older adults due to its anticholinergic and sedative effects?