ATI RN
Pharmacology Test Bank Questions
Question 1 of 5
The patient receives antibiotics for a serious infection. The patient asks the nurse, 'Why don't you just give me more of that drug to cure this infection faster?' What is the best response by the nurse?
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Antibiotics have a maximum dose beyond which efficacy plateaus-more risks toxicity (e.g., ototoxicity), not faster cure, a pharmacodynamic limit. Checking with the doctor delays a clear answer. Interactions aren't the sole issue-toxicity is. Time-based increase lacks basis. Maximum dose explains efficacy ceiling, educating safely.
Question 2 of 5
A 15-year-old female presents to her primary care physician complaining of runny nose and itchy eyes. She said that she first had these symptoms during the spring a few years ago, but each year, they have been bothering her more. You know there are multiple ways to interfere with the signaling that is causing her symptoms. Which of the following drugs would prevent the release of the main chemical mediator in her case?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The patient's symptoms-runny nose and itchy eyes during spring-suggest seasonal allergic rhinitis, where histamine is the main chemical mediator released from mast cells. Cromolyn sodium stabilizes mast cells, preventing histamine release, making it a prophylactic agent ideal for this scenario. Diphenhydramine is an H1 antihistamine that blocks histamine receptors after release, not preventing its release, so it's incorrect. Ranitidine is an H2 blocker, affecting gastric acid secretion, not allergic histamine pathways. Loratadine is another H1 antihistamine, also acting post-release. Theophylline (E) is a bronchodilator, irrelevant here. The question emphasizes preventing release, not blocking effects, so Cromolyn sodium stands out. Its mechanism directly addresses the root cause by stabilizing mast cells before allergen exposure triggers histamine release, offering a preventative rather than symptomatic approach, which aligns with the patient's recurring seasonal issue.
Question 3 of 5
A 38-year-old man who is obese complains of an extremely painful, swollen metatarsophalangeal joint of his left big toe. He presents to his primary care physician for evaluation. He has had two similar attacks in the past 4 years. The physician prescribes probenecid. Which of the following describes probenecid's mechanism of action?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Gout (recurrent toe pain) is treated with probenecid , which inhibits urate reabsorption in the proximal tubule, increasing uric acid excretion. Anti-inflammatory and leukocyte migration inhibition are colchicine's effects. Xanthine oxidase inhibition is allopurinol's. Upregulation (E) is wrong. Probenecid's uricosuric action reduces urate levels, preventing attacks.
Question 4 of 5
A 43-year-old woman with multiple sclerosis has not been treated with medication because of only having mild symptoms. Now, she has bilateral lower extremity weakness and urinary complaints. She has begun on mitoxantrone. Which of the following adverse effects must the treating physician be aware of?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
Question 5 of 5
Tricyclic antidepressants
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) like imipramine block norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake, but their anticholinergic effects are significant. In glaucoma, particularly angle-closure type, these effects can increase intraocular pressure by dilating pupils and obstructing aqueous humor outflow, risking acute attacks—thus, they're contraindicated. TCAs lower seizure threshold, lacking anticonvulsant activity, and may exacerbate epilepsy. They don't enhance levodopa absorption; rather, they might interact via monoamine pathways, but this isn't a primary effect. Some TCAs (e.g., amitriptyline) have quinidine-like sodium channel blockade, giving antiarrhythmic properties, but this isn't their primary use. The glaucoma concern is critical due to the anticholinergic mechanism, making it a key clinical consideration and the most accurate statement here.