Pharmacology & Medication Management Flashcards
7 cards from real CO 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 & Medication Management flashcards as text
A patient taking chemotherapy agents reports peripheral neuropathy in the feet. Which custom foot orthotic feature is MOST important?
Answer: Maximum shock absorption and total-contact design to protect insensate feet
Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy reduces protective sensation, making total-contact design and maximum cushioning essential to prevent pressure injuries.
Which drug-drug interaction is MOST relevant when an orthotist reviews a patient's medication list before casting for a total contact cast (TCC)?
Answer: Anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents increasing bleeding risk from skin trauma
Patients on anticoagulants or antiplatelet drugs have elevated bleeding risk; even minor skin trauma during casting can cause significant bleeding and complications.
Diuretics prescribed for hypertension can cause electrolyte imbalances. Which electrolyte abnormality MOST directly affects neuromuscular function relevant to orthotic patients?
Answer: Hypokalemia causing muscle weakness and cramps
Diuretic-induced hypokalemia causes muscle weakness and cramping, directly impacting a patient's ambulatory function and the effectiveness of prescribed orthotics.
A patient prescribed thiazolidinediones (e.g., pioglitazone) for type 2 diabetes has an increased risk of which condition relevant to orthotic management?
Answer: Fractures due to impaired bone remodeling
Thiazolidinediones are associated with increased fracture risk, particularly in women, requiring careful orthotic selection to protect vulnerable skeletal regions.
A patient taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics presents for an Achilles tendon orthosis. What additional risk should the orthotist communicate to the clinical team?
Answer: Fluoroquinolones are associated with tendinopathy and tendon rupture risk
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics carry a black-box warning for tendinopathy and tendon rupture, making Achilles tendon orthotic management particularly critical and high-risk.
When is it appropriate for a Certified Orthotist to independently adjust a patient's prescription medication to manage orthotic-related pain?
Answer: Never; medication management is outside the orthotist's scope of practice
Adjusting prescription medications is strictly within the physician's scope of practice; orthotists must refer patients to the prescribing physician for any medication changes.
A patient on immunosuppressive therapy after organ transplantation requires a lower extremity orthosis. Which infection-control measure is MOST critical?
Answer: Strict hygiene protocols and monitoring for any skin breakdown under the device
Immunosuppressed patients are at extremely high risk for infection; even minor skin breakdown under an orthosis can lead to serious systemic infection, requiring rigorous hygiene monitoring.