Pharmacology Flashcards
7 cards from real AAMA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Pharmacology flashcards as text
A patient is prescribed a transdermal patch for pain control. Which instruction is most important for the medical assistant to provide?
Answer: Remove the old patch before applying a new one
The old patch must always be removed before applying a new one to prevent dangerous medication accumulation and overdose.
Which of the following is an example of an opioid analgesic controlled substance?
Answer: Hydrocodone
Hydrocodone is an opioid analgesic classified as a Schedule II controlled substance due to its high potential for abuse.
A patient taking a statin medication reports muscle pain and weakness. The medical assistant should recognize this as a possible sign of:
Answer: Rhabdomyolysis
Muscle pain and weakness in a patient on statins may indicate myopathy or rhabdomyolysis, a serious breakdown of muscle tissue.
What is the purpose of a medication's 'half-life'?
Answer: The time it takes for half the drug concentration to be eliminated from the body
Half-life is the time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by 50%, which determines dosing intervals.
When preparing medications, a medical assistant notices the medication label has expired. The correct action is to:
Answer: Discard the medication and obtain a non-expired supply
Expired medications must never be administered; they should be properly discarded and replaced with an unexpired supply.
Which of the following best describes the action of an antagonist drug?
Answer: It binds to receptors and blocks the action of other substances
An antagonist binds to a receptor without activating it, thereby blocking agonists (including natural ligands) from binding and producing an effect.
A patient is prescribed prednisone and asks if they can stop taking it once they feel better after 3 days of a 10-day course. The correct response is:
Answer: No, corticosteroids must be tapered or completed as prescribed to avoid adrenal insufficiency
Abruptly stopping corticosteroids like prednisone can cause adrenal insufficiency; patients must complete or taper the course as directed.