AOA AOA Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which medication is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used as first-line therapy for GERD?
- Ranitidine
- Omeprazole (Correct answer)
- Sucralfate
- Metoclopramide
Correct answer: Omeprazole
Omeprazole is a PPI that irreversibly blocks gastric acid secretion by inhibiting the H+/K+ ATPase enzyme in gastric parietal cells.
Question 2: What is the primary mechanism of action of statin medications in treating hyperlipidemia?
- Increase bile acid excretion
- Inhibit HMG-CoA reductase (Correct answer)
- Activate lipoprotein lipase
- Block intestinal cholesterol absorption
Correct answer: Inhibit HMG-CoA reductase
Statins lower cholesterol by inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase, the rate-limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway of hepatic cholesterol synthesis.
Question 3: Which beta-blocker is cardioselective and preferentially acts on beta-1 receptors?
- Propranolol
- Carvedilol
- Metoprolol (Correct answer)
- Labetalol
Correct answer: Metoprolol
Metoprolol is a cardioselective beta-1 blocker that preferentially blocks cardiac beta-1 receptors, making it relatively safer in patients with reactive airway disease.
Question 4: Which treatment is recommended as preferred therapy for initial non-severe Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) per current IDSA guidelines?
- IV metronidazole
- Oral metronidazole
- Oral vancomycin (Correct answer)
- IV vancomycin
Correct answer: Oral vancomycin
Current IDSA guidelines recommend oral vancomycin or fidaxomicin as preferred therapy for initial non-severe CDI over metronidazole.
Question 5: Which diuretic class commonly causes hypokalemia as a significant adverse effect?
- Potassium-sparing diuretics
- Thiazide diuretics (Correct answer)
- Osmotic diuretics
- Carbonic anhydrase inhibitors
Correct answer: Thiazide diuretics
Thiazide diuretics promote potassium excretion in the distal tubule, commonly causing hypokalemia that requires monitoring and possible supplementation.
Question 6: What is the primary cardiovascular indication for low-dose aspirin (81 mg)?
- Analgesic effect for chronic pain
- Antiplatelet therapy to prevent thrombotic events (Correct answer)
- Anti-inflammatory therapy for arthritis
- Antipyretic therapy for fever management
Correct answer: Antiplatelet therapy to prevent thrombotic events
Low-dose aspirin irreversibly inhibits platelet COX-1, reducing thromboxane A2-mediated platelet aggregation to prevent thrombotic cardiovascular events.
AOA AOA Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2
Which medication is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) used as first-line therapy for GERD?