Pharmacology and Medication Administration Flashcards

A patient receiving heparin develops sudden thrombocytopenia and new clots. Which complication has occurred?

Answer: Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT)

HIT is an immune-mediated reaction to heparin causing platelet activation, paradoxically leading to thrombosis despite low platelet counts.

What is the preferred route for epinephrine administration during cardiac arrest per current AHA guidelines?

Answer: Intravenous or intraosseous

IV or IO are the preferred routes for epinephrine during cardiac arrest; the ET route is no longer recommended as a primary route.

Amiodarone is used in refractory VF/pVT. What is the initial IV/IO bolus dose in adults?

Answer: 300 mg

The initial dose of amiodarone for refractory VF/pVT is 300 mg IV/IO bolus per ACLS guidelines.

A patient with a known penicillin allergy is prescribed a cephalosporin. The paramedic should be aware of:

Answer: A 1–2% cross-reactivity risk due to similar beta-lactam ring structure

There is a small (1–2%) cross-reactivity risk between penicillins and cephalosporins due to their shared beta-lactam structure.

Which sympathomimetic drug has dose-dependent effects: renal vasodilation at low doses, beta-1 stimulation at moderate doses, and alpha-1 vasoconstriction at high doses?

Answer: Dopamine

Dopamine exhibits dose-dependent receptor activity: dopaminergic at 2–5 mcg/kg/min, beta-1 at 5–10, and alpha-1 dominant above 10 mcg/kg/min.

A patient is prescribed a drug with a narrow therapeutic index. This means:

Answer: The difference between the therapeutic dose and the toxic dose is small

A narrow therapeutic index indicates a small margin between the dose that is therapeutic and the dose that causes toxicity.

Which medication is the antidote for acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose?

Answer: N-acetylcysteine (NAC)

N-acetylcysteine replenishes glutathione stores, preventing hepatotoxicity from the toxic acetaminophen metabolite NAPQI.