Pharmacology and Co-Occurring Disorders Flashcards
7 cards from real CASAC 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 Co-Occurring Disorders flashcards as text
What is the primary pharmacological difference between methadone and buprenorphine in treating opioid use disorder?
Answer: Methadone is a full agonist; buprenorphine is a partial agonist with a ceiling effect
Methadone is a full opioid agonist while buprenorphine is a partial agonist, meaning buprenorphine has a ceiling effect that limits respiratory depression risk.
A counselor is working with a client who has both ADHD and stimulant use disorder. Which approach is generally recommended?
Answer: Use non-stimulant medications like atomoxetine and integrate with SUD treatment
Non-stimulant medications such as atomoxetine are preferred for clients with co-occurring ADHD and stimulant use disorder to avoid reinforcing stimulant use.
Which drug class is most commonly associated with 'kindling' in the context of repeated withdrawal episodes?
Answer: Alcohol/benzodiazepines
Kindling refers to the neurological phenomenon where repeated alcohol or benzodiazepine withdrawals result in progressively more severe and dangerous withdrawal episodes.
A client taking MAOIs for depression wants to know if they can use certain street drugs. Which combination is potentially fatal?
Answer: MAOIs and MDMA (ecstasy)
Combining MAOIs with MDMA can cause serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition characterized by agitation, hyperthermia, and cardiovascular instability.
Acamprosate (Campral) is thought to support alcohol abstinence primarily by which mechanism?
Answer: Restoring glutamate/GABA balance disrupted by chronic alcohol use
Acamprosate is believed to restore the balance between glutamate (excitatory) and GABA (inhibitory) neurotransmission disrupted by chronic alcohol dependence.
A client with opioid use disorder is precipitated into withdrawal after receiving naloxone. This occurs because naloxone:
Answer: Is a pure antagonist that rapidly displaces opioids from receptors
Naloxone is a pure opioid antagonist with high receptor affinity that rapidly displaces opioids from mu receptors, precipitating acute withdrawal in dependent individuals.
In treating a client with co-occurring major depressive disorder and opioid use disorder on buprenorphine, which class of antidepressant has the most evidence for safety and efficacy?
Answer: SSRIs and SNRIs
SSRIs and SNRIs are considered first-line antidepressants for clients on buprenorphine due to their favorable safety profile and evidence base for treating co-occurring depression.