ATI RN
ATI Pharmacology Proctored Exam Practice Questions Questions
Question 1 of 5
What is the primary action of interferon alfa?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Interferon alfa is an immunomodulatory agent that works by enhancing the immune system's ability to fight cancer. It has cytotoxic and cytostatic effects, meaning it can kill cancer cells or inhibit their growth. Additionally, it promotes the differentiation of stem cells, which can help restore normal cell function. While interferon alfa does produce cytokines and interleukins, its primary action is immunomodulation and direct effects on cancer cells. It does not primarily cause allergic reactions or produce red blood cells.
Question 2 of 5
A patient who has advanced cancer is receiving opioid medications around the clock to 'keep him comfortable' as he nears the end of his life. Which term best describes this type of therapy?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Palliative therapy focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with serious or life-limiting illnesses, such as advanced cancer. The goal is not to cure the disease but to provide comfort and alleviate suffering. In this case, the patient is receiving opioids around the clock to manage pain and ensure comfort, which is a hallmark of palliative care. Maintenance therapy is used to sustain a patient's condition, supportive therapy addresses specific symptoms, and supplemental therapy provides additional treatment. Therefore, palliative therapy is the most appropriate term for this scenario.
Question 3 of 5
Nurse Bryan knows that the age group that uses the most units of blood and blood products is:
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The elderly above age 65 years are the largest consumers of blood and blood products due to the higher prevalence of chronic diseases, surgeries, and medical conditions that require transfusions, such as anemia, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. While premature infants and children may require blood products, their overall usage is lower compared to the elderly population. Adults aged 21-64 also use blood products, but the demand is highest among the elderly due to their increased healthcare needs.
Question 4 of 5
Which of the following agents if taken in overdose by a depressed patient is most likely to result in a fatal outcome?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Overdose fatality depends on toxicity and mechanism. Amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), blocks sodium channels and muscarinic receptors, causing lethal arrhythmias, seizures, and anticholinergic effects (LD50 ~13 mg/kg), making it highly fatal. Fluoxetine, fluvoxamine, paroxetine, and citalopram, all SSRIs, primarily cause serotonin syndrome or seizures, but lethality is lower (e.g., citalopram's QT risk is less immediate). TCAs' cardiotoxicity far exceeds SSRIs', driving amitriptyline's higher fatality rate, a critical factor in prescribing for depression with suicide risk.
Question 5 of 5
Which of the following receptor-ligand pathway is TRUE:
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Insulin acts via tyrosine kinase receptors, not G-protein-coupled receptors, so that's false. Mineralocorticoids (e.g., aldosterone) bind intracellular receptors, not tyrosine kinase, making that incorrect. Vitamin D binds intracellular nuclear receptors, regulating gene transcription, a true statement and the correct pathway. Adrenaline acts via G-protein-coupled adrenergic receptors, not ligand-gated channels, so that's false. Platelet-derived growth factor uses tyrosine kinase, not cytokine receptors. Vitamin D's intracellular action is key to its role in calcium homeostasis, distinguishing it from membrane-bound receptor mechanisms.