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Geriatric Pharmacology Flashcards

7 cards from real CCP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Geriatric Pharmacology flashcards as text

  1. Which pharmacokinetic change is most consistently observed in elderly patients due to decreased lean body mass?

    Answer: Decreased volume of distribution for lipophilic drugs

    Decreased lean body mass in elderly reduces the volume of distribution for lipophilic drugs, potentially increasing plasma concentrations.

  2. An 80-year-old with a normal serum creatinine of 0.8 mg/dL is prescribed a renally cleared antibiotic. What is the most appropriate next step?

    Answer: Calculate CrCl using Cockcroft-Gault to account for reduced muscle mass

    A low serum creatinine in elderly often reflects reduced muscle mass, not good renal function; Cockcroft-Gault CrCl calculation is essential.

  3. Which agent is considered potentially inappropriate per the Beers Criteria for older adults due to the risk of hypoglycemia?

    Answer: Glyburide

    Glyburide is a long-acting sulfonylurea with active metabolites that accumulate in elderly, significantly increasing hypoglycemia risk.

  4. What is the primary reason first-pass metabolism is often reduced in elderly patients?

    Answer: Decreased hepatic blood flow and liver mass

    Aging reduces hepatic blood flow and liver mass by up to 40%, decreasing first-pass extraction and increasing oral bioavailability of high-extraction drugs.

  5. An elderly patient on warfarin begins taking trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole for a UTI. What is the expected outcome?

    Answer: INR increases due to CYP2C9 inhibition

    TMP-SMX inhibits CYP2C9, the primary enzyme metabolizing warfarin's S-enantiomer, leading to elevated INR and bleeding risk.

  6. Which of the following best describes the concept of 'prescribing cascade' in geriatric patients?

    Answer: Prescribing a new drug to treat an adverse effect of an existing drug

    A prescribing cascade occurs when a drug's adverse effect is misinterpreted as a new medical condition, leading to prescription of an additional drug.

  7. In a nursing home patient with dementia and behavioral symptoms, which class of medications carries a Black Box Warning for increased mortality risk?

    Answer: Atypical antipsychotics

    Atypical antipsychotics carry an FDA Black Box Warning for increased risk of death when used in elderly patients with dementia-related psychosis.