Pharmacology & Medication Management Flashcards
7 cards from real AP 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 on lithium for bipolar disorder wants to use dandelion root as a diuretic. The risk is:
Answer: Dandelion reduces sodium excretion, raising lithium levels to toxic range
Lithium excretion is coupled with sodium; diuretics that reduce sodium/fluid can increase lithium reabsorption, raising levels toward toxicity.
Which of the following describes a Type A adverse drug reaction?
Answer: A predictable, dose-dependent reaction related to the drug's pharmacological effect
Type A (augmented) reactions are predictable, dose-dependent extensions of the drug's normal pharmacological action, representing the majority of adverse drug reactions.
An AP is treating a cancer patient receiving chemotherapy who wants to use antioxidant supplements. The primary concern is:
Answer: Antioxidants may protect cancer cells from oxidative damage caused by chemotherapy
High-dose antioxidants may theoretically protect tumor cells from oxidative chemotherapy mechanisms, potentially reducing treatment efficacy.
The concept of 'therapeutic window' in pharmacology refers to:
Answer: The range between the minimum effective concentration and the minimum toxic concentration
The therapeutic window is the concentration range between the minimum effective concentration (efficacy threshold) and the minimum toxic concentration (toxicity threshold).
A patient taking immunosuppressants post-transplant asks about using astragalus (Huang Qi). The AP should:
Answer: Advise against it as astragalus is an immunostimulant that may promote rejection
Astragalus is a potent immunostimulant that can counteract immunosuppressive therapy, increasing the risk of organ rejection.
Which route of drug administration completely bypasses first-pass hepatic metabolism?
Answer: Sublingual (SL)
Sublingual administration allows direct absorption into systemic circulation via sublingual veins, completely bypassing the portal circulation and hepatic first-pass metabolism.
A patient using saw palmetto for BPH is also prescribed finasteride. The AP should advise:
Answer: Saw palmetto may have additive 5-alpha-reductase inhibition, warranting physician notification
Both saw palmetto and finasteride inhibit 5-alpha-reductase; combined use may produce additive hormonal effects that should be monitored by the prescribing physician.