CCRP CCRP Pharmacology 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which antiarrhythmic drug requires monitoring of thyroid function due to its iodine content?
- Metoprolol
- Amiodarone (Correct answer)
- Flecainide
- Adenosine
Correct answer: Amiodarone
Amiodarone contains iodine and can cause thyroid dysfunction, requiring regular thyroid function monitoring.
Question 2: A cardiac rehab specialist should know that diuretics may cause which electrolyte imbalance that can lead to arrhythmias?
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypokalemia (Correct answer)
- Hypernatremia
- Hypophosphatemia
Correct answer: Hypokalemia
Loop and thiazide diuretics can cause hypokalemia, which predisposes patients to dangerous cardiac arrhythmias.
Question 3: When should a cardiac rehab patient be instructed to take sublingual nitroglycerin?
- Before every exercise session
- At the onset of chest pain or angina (Correct answer)
- Only after consulting a physician each time
- During cool-down only
Correct answer: At the onset of chest pain or angina
Sublingual nitroglycerin should be taken at the onset of angina symptoms to rapidly relieve chest pain.
Question 4: Aspirin therapy in cardiac rehabilitation patients functions primarily as which type of agent?
- Anticoagulant
- Antiplatelet (Correct answer)
- Thrombolytic
- Antiarrhythmic
Correct answer: Antiplatelet
Aspirin irreversibly inhibits platelet aggregation, reducing the risk of thrombotic cardiovascular events.
Question 5: Which effect does a beta-blocker have on the target heart rate calculation during cardiac rehabilitation exercise testing?
- It increases the maximum heart rate
- It attenuates the heart rate response, lowering the achieved maximum (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on heart rate
- It causes an irregular heart rate only
Correct answer: It attenuates the heart rate response, lowering the achieved maximum
Beta-blockers blunt the heart rate response to exercise, so standard age-predicted maximal heart rate formulas are unreliable for these patients.
Question 6: CCRP professionals should recognize that clopidogrel (Plavix) is used post-PCI primarily to prevent which complication?
- Infection at the catheter site
- Stent thrombosis (Correct answer)
- Post-procedure hypertension
- Contrast-induced nephropathy
Correct answer: Stent thrombosis
Clopidogrel is an antiplatelet agent used alongside aspirin to prevent stent thrombosis after percutaneous coronary intervention.
CCRP CCRP Pharmacology 2
Which antiarrhythmic drug requires monitoring of thyroid function due to its iodine content?