CMA Pharmacology for Medical Assistants 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is prescribed warfarin and asks if they can take ibuprofen for a headache. What is the primary concern?
- Ibuprofen reduces warfarin absorption
- Ibuprofen increases bleeding risk when combined with warfarin (Correct answer)
- Ibuprofen causes warfarin to be excreted faster
- Ibuprofen has no interaction with warfarin
Correct answer: Ibuprofen increases bleeding risk when combined with warfarin
NSAIDs like ibuprofen inhibit platelet function and can displace warfarin from plasma proteins, significantly increasing bleeding risk.
Question 2: Which schedule of controlled substances has the highest potential for abuse with no accepted medical use in the US?
- Schedule II
- Schedule III
- Schedule IV
- Schedule I (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Schedule I
Schedule I drugs (e.g., heroin, LSD) have the highest abuse potential and no currently accepted medical use in the United States.
Question 3: A medication order reads 'metformin 500 mg BID.' How many milligrams does the patient receive daily?
- 500 mg
- 1500 mg
- 1000 mg (Correct answer)
- 2000 mg
Correct answer: 1000 mg
BID means twice daily, so 500 mg × 2 = 1000 mg per day.
Question 4: Which route of administration provides the fastest drug absorption into the bloodstream?
- Oral (PO)
- Subcutaneous (SQ)
- Intramuscular (IM)
- Intravenous (IV) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Intravenous (IV)
IV administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing absorption barriers entirely for immediate effect.
Question 5: A patient on ACE inhibitors develops a persistent dry cough. What is the most appropriate action?
- Recommend an OTC cough suppressant and continue the medication
- Document and report the symptom to the physician (Correct answer)
- Tell the patient to stop the medication immediately
- Advise the patient this side effect will resolve on its own within days
Correct answer: Document and report the symptom to the physician
A persistent dry cough is a common side effect of ACE inhibitors that should be documented and reported to the physician, who may switch to an ARB.
Question 6: Which of the following is an example of a teratogenic drug that must be avoided in pregnancy?
- Acetaminophen
- Isotretinoin (Accutane) (Correct answer)
- Amoxicillin
- Ondansetron
Correct answer: Isotretinoin (Accutane)
Isotretinoin is a well-known teratogen that causes severe birth defects and is subject to the iPLEDGE risk management program.
Question 7: What does the term 'half-life' of a drug mean?
- The time for the drug to reach peak concentration
- The time required for half the drug dose to be metabolized or eliminated (Correct answer)
- The time between doses of a medication
- The duration of the drug's therapeutic effect
Correct answer: The time required for half the drug dose to be metabolized or eliminated
Half-life is the time it takes for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%, which determines dosing frequency.
CMA Pharmacology for Medical Assistants 2
A patient is prescribed warfarin and asks if they can take ibuprofen for a headache.
What is the primary concern?