ExCPT Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) Study Notes

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) of 1938

Established the FDA; drugs must be safe and labeled accurately.

Controlled Substances Act (CSA) of 1970

Created DEA schedules I–V for drugs with abuse potential.

Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)

Regulates controlled substances and issues DEA numbers.

Poison Prevention Packaging Act (PPPA) of 1970

Child-resistant packaging required for most prescription medications.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996

Established patient privacy and confidentiality regulations.

Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) of 1990

Requires counseling for Medicaid patients.

Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act of 2005

Limits sales of pseudoephedrine and logbook requirements.

Schedule I (C-I)

No accepted medical use; examples include heroin and LSD.

Schedule II (C-II)

High abuse potential with no refills; includes morphine and oxycodone.

Schedule III (C-III)

Moderate abuse potential; includes Tylenol with codeine.

Schedule IV (C-IV)

Low abuse potential; includes alprazolam and diazepam.

Schedule V (C-V)

Lowest abuse potential; includes cough preparations with codeine.

Prescription requirements

Includes patient name, address, date, drug name, dosage form, quantity, directions, prescriber’s name, signature, DEA #.

State vs. Federal laws in pharmacy

Always follow the stricter law.

Refill rules for controlled substances

C-II = no refills; C-III to V = up to 5 refills in 6 months.

Recordkeeping requirement

Minimum of 2 years, often 3–5 years by state.

Converting units in pharmacy

1 tsp = 5 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 oz = 30 mL, 1 kg = 2.2 lbs.

Days' supply calculation

(Quantity dispensed) ÷ (Daily dose).

IV flow rates calculation

(Volume (mL) × Drop factor (gtt/mL)) ÷ Time (min).

Common Analgesics - Opioids

Examples include oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone/acetaminophen (Norco), morphine.

Common Analgesics - NSAIDs

Examples include ibuprofen (Advil) and naproxen (Aleve).

Common Antibiotics

Examples include amoxicillin (Amoxil), azithromycin (Zithromax), ciprofloxacin (Cipro).

Common Antihypertensives

Examples include lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril), amlodipine (Norvasc), metoprolol (Lopressor), losartan (Cozaar).

Common Antidiabetics

Examples include metformin (Glucophage) and insulin glargine (Lantus).

Common Antidepressants

Examples include sertraline (Zoloft), fluoxetine (Prozac), escitalopram (Lexapro).

Common Statins (Cholesterol)

Examples include atorvastatin (Lipitor) and simvastatin (Zocor).

Common Anticonvulsants

Examples include gabapentin (Neurontin) and levetiracetam (Keppra).

Common Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs)

Examples include omeprazole (Prilosec) and pantoprazole (Protonix).

Common Asthma/COPD medications

Examples include albuterol (ProAir, Ventolin) and fluticasone/salmeterol (Advair).

Common Anticoagulants

Examples include warfarin (Coumadin) and apixaban (Eliquis).

Pharmacy Operations

Includes prescription processing steps, labeling requirements, inventory control, handling recalls, medication storage, patient safety.

Medication Safety Practices

Includes error prevention strategies like barcoding and double checks.

High-alert medications

Medications that require special attention, including insulin, anticoagulants, and opioids.

Compounding pharmacy processes

Includes non-sterile and sterile preparations, adhering to guidelines like USP

Insurance and Billing terms

Common terms include copay, coinsurance, deductible, and prior authorization.

Third-party processing elements

Includes BIN, PCN, Group #.

Medicare/Medicaid Prescription Benefits

Part D covers prescription benefits.

Common Pharmacy Abbreviations - Sig codes

Examples include po (by mouth), qd (once daily), bid (twice daily), tid (three times daily), prn (as needed).

Study tips for pharmacy students

Memorize Top 200 drugs, know DEA schedules, practice calculations, review side effects.