Medical Reactions or Conditions Flashcards
7 cards from real MACE practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Medical Reactions or Conditions flashcards as text
A resident taking metformin for type 2 diabetes develops nausea, vomiting, and muscle pain. Which serious condition should the medication aide report immediately?
Answer: Lactic acidosis
Lactic acidosis is a rare but life-threatening adverse effect of metformin, characterized by nausea, vomiting, and myalgia.
Which symptom is MOST characteristic of an anticholinergic reaction to medication?
Answer: Dry mouth, urinary retention, and flushed skin
Anticholinergic effects include dry mouth, urinary retention, flushed skin, tachycardia, and blurred vision due to blockade of muscarinic receptors.
A resident on warfarin reports blood in the urine and prolonged bleeding from a small cut. What type of reaction is occurring?
Answer: Toxic/overdose reaction
Hematuria and prolonged bleeding in a patient on warfarin indicate excessive anticoagulation, a toxic reaction from the drug's pharmacologic action.
Which condition is indicated by a resident's complaint of severe headache, stiff neck, and sensitivity to light after starting a new antibiotic?
Answer: Meningitis must be ruled out immediately
Severe headache, nuchal rigidity, and photophobia are classic signs of meningitis, which is a medical emergency requiring immediate reporting.
A resident receiving an NSAID for arthritis develops black, tarry stools. The medication aide should recognize this as a sign of:
Answer: Gastrointestinal bleeding
Black, tarry stools (melena) indicate upper gastrointestinal bleeding, a known adverse effect of NSAIDs due to gastric mucosal irritation.
Which skin reaction to a medication requires the medication aide to withhold the drug and report IMMEDIATELY due to risk of severe progression?
Answer: Widespread blistering rash with mucosal involvement
Widespread blistering with mucosal involvement may indicate Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a life-threatening skin reaction requiring emergency intervention.
A resident on a diuretic develops muscle cramps, weakness, and irregular heartbeat. Which electrolyte imbalance is most likely?
Answer: Hypokalemia
Diuretics, especially loop and thiazide types, cause potassium loss (hypokalemia), presenting as muscle cramps, weakness, and cardiac arrhythmias.