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Pharmacology Fundamentals Flashcards

7 cards from real ABA 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 Fundamentals flashcards as text

  1. Which volatile anesthetic is contraindicated in patients with a history of malignant hyperthermia?

    Answer: Sevoflurane

    All potent volatile halogenated agents, including sevoflurane, can trigger malignant hyperthermia in susceptible individuals via uncontrolled ryanodine receptor activation.

  2. Sugammadex reverses rocuronium by which mechanism?

    Answer: Encapsulating rocuronium in a cyclodextrin complex in plasma

    Sugammadex is a modified gamma-cyclodextrin that encapsulates rocuronium and vecuronium, forming a tight complex in plasma that removes them from the neuromuscular junction.

  3. The MAC of a volatile anesthetic is defined as the alveolar concentration at which:

    Answer: 50% of patients do not move in response to a surgical incision

    MAC is the minimum alveolar concentration at which 50% of patients do not respond with purposeful movement to a standardized surgical stimulus (skin incision).

  4. Epinephrine is added to local anesthetic solutions primarily to:

    Answer: Cause vasoconstriction, reducing systemic absorption and prolonging block duration

    Epinephrine causes local vasoconstriction, slowing vascular absorption of the local anesthetic, prolonging its duration and reducing systemic toxicity risk.

  5. A patient taking MAO inhibitors requires opioid analgesia. Which opioid is safest to use?

    Answer: Morphine

    Morphine is the safest opioid choice with MAO inhibitors because it does not inhibit serotonin reuptake, avoiding the serotonin syndrome risk posed by meperidine and tramadol.

  6. Which receptor subtype mediates the analgesic effects of opioids at the spinal cord level?

    Answer: Mu (μ) receptors in the dorsal horn

    Mu (μ) opioid receptors in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord are the primary mediators of spinal analgesia, inhibiting pain signal transmission.

  7. Which of the following best describes tachyphylaxis as applied to vasopressors in anesthesia?

    Answer: Diminishing response to a drug with repeated dosing over a short period

    Tachyphylaxis is the rapid decrease in response to a drug after repeated administration over a short time, seen clinically with ephedrine during spinal hypotension.