ATI RN
Central Nervous System Stimulants and Related Drugs NCLEX Style Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
Pharmacologic actions of acetylsalicylic acid include all of the following EXCEPT:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) inhibits COX enzymes, reducing prostaglandin synthesis (choice D), yielding analgesic (choice A) and antipyretic (choice B) effects by decreasing pain mediators and hypothalamic heat regulation, respectively. However, it inhibits, not promotes, platelet aggregation (choice C) by blocking thromboxane A2 production, a pro-aggregatory prostaglandin, making it antiplatelet, used in cardiovascular prophylaxis. Promotion of aggregation would contradict its mechanism. This exception tests understanding of aspirin's unique antiplatelet action among NSAIDs, critical for its clinical applications.
Question 2 of 5
Which of the following neurotransmitters has been most consistently implicated in the patient's disorder?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Acetylcholine has been consistently implicated in Alzheimer's disease, which is the disorder the 71-year-old man was diagnosed with. This neurotransmitter is involved in memory and cognitive function, both of which are affected in Alzheimer's disease. A drug that acts on the central cholinergic system would likely target acetylcholine to improve symptoms in this patient. The other neurotransmitters listed are not as strongly linked to Alzheimer's disease.
Question 3 of 5
A 21-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician complaining of “feeling sleepy all the time.†Physical exam is normal, but she has a history of hay fever since she was 14 years old. You discover that she is currently taking medicine for her allergy but cannot remember the name. She says it controls her hay fever symptoms well. You suspect that her medication is causing her to feel sleepy. Which of the following would be most likely to cause drowsiness?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Doxylamine, an antihistamine, is known to cause drowsiness due to its sedative effects on the central nervous system.
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following is the most trouble-shooter in spinal anaesthesia?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Sympathetic block can be the most troublesome in spinal anaesthesia leading to hypotension and other complications.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following opiate receptors is paired correctly with a physiological or psychological action?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Mu receptors (choice C) mediate respiratory depression, a key morphine effect. Mu doesn't cause dysphoria (choice A), kappa causes dysphoria, not euphoria (choice B), and delta (choice D) isn't primarily dysphoric. This correct pairing reflects opioid pharmacology.