Practice Test Geeks(CST) Certified Surgical Technician Practice Test
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Surgical Pharmacology Flashcards

7 cards from real CST practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Surgical Pharmacology flashcards as text

  1. Which intravenous induction agent is most associated with pain on injection and is chosen for its rapid onset and short duration?

    Answer: Propofol

    Propofol frequently causes pain upon IV injection but provides rapid, smooth induction and quick recovery due to its short context-sensitive half-life.

  2. A patient on warfarin requires emergency surgery. Which agent provides the most rapid reversal of anticoagulation?

    Answer: 4-factor prothrombin complex concentrate (PCC)

    4-factor PCC replaces all vitamin K-dependent clotting factors quickly and is the fastest way to reverse warfarin anticoagulation.

  3. Which drug classification does dexmedetomidine belong to, and why is it used perioperatively?

    Answer: Alpha-2 agonist used for sedation and analgesia

    Dexmedetomidine is a selective alpha-2 adrenergic agonist that provides sedation, anxiolysis, and opioid-sparing analgesia without respiratory depression.

  4. Methylene blue may be administered intraoperatively to treat which condition?

    Answer: Methemoglobinemia

    Methylene blue acts as an electron donor to reduce methemoglobin back to functional hemoglobin.

  5. Which local anesthetic is associated with cardiotoxicity and cardiac arrest if accidentally injected intravascularly in high doses?

    Answer: Bupivacaine

    Bupivacaine has high cardiac toxicity due to its high lipid solubility and strong binding to cardiac sodium channels, making resuscitation from accidental IV injection difficult.

  6. Which drug is used to induce deliberate hypotension during surgery to reduce blood loss?

    Answer: Sodium nitroprusside

    Sodium nitroprusside is a potent, short-acting vasodilator that can be titrated to achieve controlled hypotension and minimize intraoperative blood loss.

  7. Clopidogrel (Plavix) should ideally be discontinued before elective surgery for at least how many days to reduce bleeding risk?

    Answer: 5–7 days

    Clopidogrel irreversibly inhibits P2Y12 platelet receptors; discontinuing it 5–7 days before surgery allows sufficient platelet turnover to restore hemostasis.