CST CST Pharmacology & Anesthesia 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the purpose of administering a prophylactic antibiotic before the surgical incision?
- To treat an active infection
- To reduce the risk of surgical site infection (Correct answer)
- To sedate the patient
- To control post-operative pain
Correct answer: To reduce the risk of surgical site infection
Prophylactic antibiotics are given within 60 minutes before incision to reduce the risk of surgical site infections (SSIs).
Question 2: Which drug class is used to facilitate endotracheal intubation by temporarily paralyzing skeletal muscles?
- Benzodiazepines
- Opioids
- Neuromuscular blocking agents (Correct answer)
- Volatile anesthetics
Correct answer: Neuromuscular blocking agents
Neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs), such as succinylcholine and rocuronium, paralyze skeletal muscles to allow intubation and mechanical ventilation.
Question 3: During a procedure, the surgeon requests a 1% lidocaine solution with 1:200,000 epinephrine. What does the concentration '1%' indicate?
- 1 mg per 100 mL
- 10 mg per mL (Correct answer)
- 1 mg per mL
- 100 mg per 10 mL
Correct answer: 10 mg per mL
A 1% solution contains 10 mg of drug per mL (1 g per 100 mL), a standard pharmacology calculation used in the OR.
Question 4: What is the role of neostigmine in the anesthesia reversal process?
- Reverses opioid effects
- Reverses benzodiazepine sedation
- Reverses neuromuscular blockade (Correct answer)
- Induces general anesthesia
Correct answer: Reverses neuromuscular blockade
Neostigmine is an anticholinesterase agent that reverses non-depolarizing neuromuscular blockade at the end of surgery.
Question 5: Which of the following is a water-soluble lubricant used by surgical technologists when preparing an endoscope or urinary catheter on the sterile field?
- Petrolatum (Vaseline)
- Bone wax
- Sterile K-Y jelly (Correct answer)
- Mineral oil
Correct answer: Sterile K-Y jelly
Water-soluble sterile lubricant (e.g., sterile K-Y jelly) is used for scopes and catheters because it dissolves and does not cause tissue irritation.
Question 6: A patient has a documented allergy to penicillin. Which antibiotic class requires the most caution due to potential cross-reactivity?
- Aminoglycosides
- Cephalosporins (Correct answer)
- Fluoroquinolones
- Macrolides
Correct answer: Cephalosporins
Cephalosporins have a small but documented cross-reactivity risk with penicillin-allergic patients, so they require caution and careful allergy history review.
CST CST Pharmacology & Anesthesia 2
What is the purpose of administering a prophylactic antibiotic before the surgical incision?