Pharmacology Endocrine System Pharmacology 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which type of insulin has the SHORTEST onset of action?
- Glargine
- NPH
- Regular
- Lispro (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Lispro
Lispro is a rapid-acting insulin analog with an onset of approximately 15 minutes, making it the fastest-acting option listed.
Question 2: Metformin's PRIMARY mechanism to reduce blood glucose is:
- Stimulating pancreatic beta cells
- Inhibiting intestinal glucose absorption
- Decreasing hepatic glucose production (Correct answer)
- Blocking glucagon receptors
Correct answer: Decreasing hepatic glucose production
Metformin activates AMPK, which primarily reduces hepatic gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis to lower fasting blood glucose.
Question 3: Levothyroxine is the drug of choice for treating:
- Hyperthyroidism
- Graves' disease
- Hypothyroidism (Correct answer)
- Thyroid storm
Correct answer: Hypothyroidism
Levothyroxine is synthetic T4 used as hormone replacement therapy to treat hypothyroidism by restoring normal thyroid hormone levels.
Question 4: Propylthiouracil (PTU) is preferred over methimazole during:
- Long-term thyroid suppression
- First trimester of pregnancy (Correct answer)
- Treatment of elderly patients
- Pediatric thyroid disease
Correct answer: First trimester of pregnancy
PTU is preferred in the first trimester because methimazole is associated with a specific embryopathy including aplasia cutis and choanal atresia.
Question 5: GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide) lower blood glucose primarily by:
- Inhibiting SGLT-2 transporters in the kidney
- Blocking alpha-glucosidase in the gut
- Stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion (Correct answer)
- Inhibiting DPP-4 enzyme
Correct answer: Stimulating glucose-dependent insulin secretion
GLP-1 agonists bind GLP-1 receptors on pancreatic beta cells, stimulating insulin secretion only when glucose is elevated (glucose-dependent mechanism).
Question 6: Among the following corticosteroids, which has the HIGHEST anti-inflammatory potency?
- Hydrocortisone
- Prednisone
- Methylprednisolone
- Dexamethasone (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Dexamethasone
Dexamethasone has approximately 25–30 times the anti-inflammatory potency of hydrocortisone, the highest of those listed.
Question 7: SGLT-2 inhibitors (e.g., empagliflozin) lower blood glucose by:
- Increasing pancreatic insulin secretion
- Reducing hepatic glucose output
- Blocking intestinal glucose transporters
- Inhibiting renal glucose reabsorption (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Inhibiting renal glucose reabsorption
SGLT-2 inhibitors block sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 in the proximal tubule, preventing glucose reabsorption and promoting glucosuria.
Pharmacology Endocrine System Pharmacology 1
Which type of insulin has the SHORTEST onset of action?