Pharmacology and Medication Administration Flashcards
7 cards from real Paramedics Exam 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 Medication Administration flashcards as text
A patient in status epilepticus unresponsive to benzodiazepines requires phenytoin. What is the primary concern during IV administration?
Answer: Rapid infusion can cause severe hypotension and cardiac dysrhythmias
Phenytoin must be administered slowly (≤50 mg/min IV) because rapid infusion causes hypotension and cardiac dysrhythmias.
When establishing medication orders via medical direction, which type of order allows paramedics to administer medications without contacting a physician for each individual patient?
Answer: Off-line standing orders (protocols)
Off-line standing orders (protocols) are pre-approved by medical directors, allowing paramedics to act without real-time physician contact.
Which electrolyte imbalance most increases the risk of digoxin toxicity?
Answer: Hypokalemia
Hypokalemia increases digoxin toxicity by enhancing digoxin's binding to Na/K-ATPase and increasing cellular uptake.
A paramedic accidentally administers 10 times the ordered dose of insulin. The most immediate life-threatening complication is:
Answer: Severe hypoglycemia
Insulin overdose causes severe hypoglycemia by driving glucose into cells, depriving the brain of its primary fuel source.
What is the mechanism of action of magnesium sulfate in the treatment of torsades de pointes?
Answer: Blocks calcium channels and stabilizes cardiac membranes by inhibiting sodium influx
Magnesium stabilizes cardiac membranes and blocks calcium, interrupting the triggered activity responsible for torsades de pointes.
Which term describes an unexpected and unpredictable adverse drug reaction that occurs in a small percentage of patients regardless of dose?
Answer: Idiosyncratic reaction
An idiosyncratic reaction is an abnormal, unpredictable response to a drug not related to the drug's pharmacology or immune sensitization.
A conscious patient is experiencing supraventricular tachycardia at 180 bpm. After a failed vagal maneuver, which drug is given first?
Answer: Adenosine 6 mg rapid IV push
Adenosine 6 mg given as a rapid IV push followed by a saline flush is the first-line pharmacologic treatment for stable SVT.