CMA Pharmacology for Medical Assistants 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient is taking a statin medication and reports muscle pain. Which lab value should be checked to evaluate for rhabdomyolysis?
- Blood urea nitrogen (BUN)
- Creatine kinase (CK) (Correct answer)
- Hemoglobin A1c
- Prothrombin time (PT)
Correct answer: Creatine kinase (CK)
Elevated creatine kinase (CK) indicates muscle cell breakdown (rhabdomyolysis), a rare but serious complication of statin therapy.
Question 2: Which term describes a drug that enhances the action of another drug, producing an effect greater than either drug alone?
- Antagonism
- Tolerance
- Synergism (Correct answer)
- Idiosyncratic reaction
Correct answer: Synergism
Synergism (or potentiation) occurs when two drugs together produce a greater-than-additive effect compared to each drug administered alone.
Question 3: A patient reports taking St. John's Wort. Which type of prescription medication could have its effectiveness significantly reduced?
- Antifungals
- Oral contraceptives (Correct answer)
- Antacids
- Topical corticosteroids
Correct answer: Oral contraceptives
St. John's Wort induces liver enzymes (CYP3A4), which accelerates the metabolism of oral contraceptives, potentially reducing their effectiveness.
Question 4: What is the primary purpose of the National Drug Code (NDC) number on a medication label?
- Indicates the drug's schedule classification
- Uniquely identifies the manufacturer, product, and package size (Correct answer)
- Shows the drug's expiration date
- Confirms the drug is FDA-approved
Correct answer: Uniquely identifies the manufacturer, product, and package size
The NDC is a unique 10-digit code that identifies the drug's labeler/manufacturer, product formulation, and package size.
Question 5: Which of the following best describes a contraindication for a medication?
- A secondary benefit of the medication
- A condition that makes use of the medication potentially harmful (Correct answer)
- The recommended dosage for elderly patients
- A list of approved uses for the medication
Correct answer: A condition that makes use of the medication potentially harmful
A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug should not be used because the risks outweigh the potential benefits.
Question 6: A patient is prescribed nitroglycerin sublingual tablets for angina. What administration instruction is most important?
- Swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water
- Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve (Correct answer)
- Chew the tablet thoroughly before swallowing
- Apply the tablet to the inside of the cheek
Correct answer: Place the tablet under the tongue and let it dissolve
Sublingual nitroglycerin must be placed under the tongue where it dissolves rapidly and absorbs directly into the bloodstream for fast onset of action.
Question 7: Which of the following medications requires a medication guide and Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS) due to serious safety risks?
- Amoxicillin
- Clonazepam
- Clozapine (Correct answer)
- Metformin
Correct answer: Clozapine
Clozapine has a REMS program because it can cause life-threatening agranulocytosis, requiring regular monitoring of absolute neutrophil counts.
CMA Pharmacology for Medical Assistants 4
A patient is taking a statin medication and reports muscle pain.
Which lab value should be checked to evaluate for rhabdomyolysis?