Medication Safety Flashcards

Which FDA program allows patients and healthcare providers to voluntarily report adverse drug events?

Answer: MedWatch

The FDA MedWatch program is the voluntary reporting system for serious adverse events related to drugs, biologics, and medical devices.

What does the abbreviation REMS stand for in drug safety?

Answer: Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy

REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy) programs are FDA-required safety plans for drugs with serious risks that require special management.

A patient is prescribed both warfarin and aspirin. What is the primary safety concern with this combination?

Answer: Increased bleeding risk due to additive anticoagulant effects

Warfarin and aspirin together significantly increase bleeding risk, as aspirin inhibits platelet function while warfarin inhibits clotting factor synthesis.

Which safety label should be affixed to a prescription for metronidazole?

Answer: Avoid alcohol while taking this medication

Metronidazole causes a disulfiram-like reaction with alcohol, resulting in severe nausea, vomiting, and flushing.

What is the safest method for a pharmacy technician to verify patient identity when dispensing a controlled substance?

Answer: Request a government-issued photo ID

Requesting a government-issued photo ID ensures the controlled substance is dispensed to the correct individual and helps prevent diversion.

A barcode medication administration (BCMA) system helps prevent which category of errors most directly?

Answer: Wrong-patient and wrong-drug dispensing errors

BCMA systems scan patient wristbands and drug barcodes at the point of care to prevent wrong-patient and wrong-drug administration errors.

Which look-alike drug pair is on ISMP's list of commonly confused drug names?

Answer: Hydroxyzine and hydralazine

Hydroxyzine (antihistamine/anxiolytic) and hydralazine (antihypertensive) are an ISMP-identified LASA pair with different indications and risks.