APC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3

Question 1

A pharmacist is performing a medicines review for an elderly patient on 8 medications. Which tool is specifically designed to screen for potentially inappropriate prescribing in older adults?

Accepted Answer

Beers Criteria

Answer

The Beers Criteria is an evidence-based tool specifically developed to identify medications that are potentially inappropriate in adults aged 65 and older.

Question 2

A patient presents complaining of heartburn. Which symptom would prompt the pharmacist to refer rather than recommend OTC treatment?

Accepted Answer

Dysphagia and unintentional weight loss over two months

Answer

Dysphagia combined with unintentional weight loss are alarm symptoms ('red flags') that may indicate esophageal malignancy requiring urgent medical investigation.

Question 3

When assessing medication adherence, which validated tool is most commonly used in pharmacy practice?

Accepted Answer

Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8)

Answer

The Morisky Medication Adherence Scale (MMAS-8) is a validated, widely used self-report tool for assessing patient adherence to prescribed medications.

Question 4

A mother brings in her 4-year-old who has had a fever of 39°C for 36 hours. Which additional finding would most warrant immediate referral to an emergency department?

Accepted Answer

Neck stiffness and photophobia

Answer

Neck stiffness and photophobia in a febrile child are classic signs of meningitis, a life-threatening emergency requiring immediate referral.

Question 5

During a cardiovascular risk assessment, a pharmacist measures a patient's blood pressure as 158/96 mmHg on two occasions. According to Australian guidelines, this reading is classified as:

Accepted Answer

Grade 1 (mild) hypertension

Answer

A blood pressure of 158/96 mmHg meets the threshold for Grade 1 (mild) hypertension as defined by Australian cardiovascular guidelines (≥140/90 mmHg).

(APC) Australian Pharmacy Council Practice Test

(APC) Australian Pharmacy Council Practice Test

APC Patient Assessment and Evaluation 3