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Pharmacology and Pain Control Flashcards

7 cards from real NBDE 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 and Pain Control flashcards as text

  1. Which local anesthetic is MOST appropriate for a patient with documented allergy to amide-type local anesthetics?

    Answer: Procaine

    Procaine is an ester-type local anesthetic with a different chemical structure than amides, making it an alternative when true amide allergy is confirmed.

  2. The phenomenon of tachyphylaxis with local anesthetics refers to:

    Answer: Decreased effectiveness with repeated injections in short succession

    Tachyphylaxis is a progressive decrease in local anesthetic effect with repeated injections, partly due to local tissue acidosis reducing the free base available to cross nerve membranes.

  3. Which drug is the opioid antagonist of choice for reversing respiratory depression caused by opioid overdose?

    Answer: Naloxone

    Naloxone is the first-line agent for acute opioid-induced respiratory depression due to its rapid onset and competitive antagonism at mu-opioid receptors.

  4. Ketorolac is preferred over other NSAIDs for short-term postoperative pain because it:

    Answer: Can be administered parenterally for potent analgesia

    Ketorolac is unique among NSAIDs in having an injectable formulation that provides opioid-comparable analgesia for acute postoperative pain without opioid side effects.

  5. In a patient with poorly controlled hypertension, the maximum recommended epinephrine dose per dental appointment is:

    Answer: 0.018 mg (2 cartridges of 1:100,000)

    The AHA recommends limiting epinephrine to 0.04 mg (approximately two cartridges of 1:100,000) per appointment in patients with significant cardiovascular disease or uncontrolled hypertension.

  6. Which property of local anesthetics determines their intrinsic potency?

    Answer: Lipid solubility

    Lipid solubility determines the ability of a local anesthetic to penetrate the lipid-rich nerve membrane, directly correlating with anesthetic potency.

  7. Tramadol is considered atypical among analgesics because its mechanism includes:

    Answer: Mu-opioid receptor agonism and monoamine reuptake inhibition

    Tramadol acts both as a weak mu-opioid receptor agonist and as a serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, giving it a dual analgesic mechanism.