Pharmacology Cirrus Exam

What term is used to describe continuous tonic-clonic seizures, lasting over 30 minutes, with high fever, and during which consciousness may not return?

status epilepticus

What is a common side effect of pyridostigmine (Mestinon) for myasthenia gravis?

salivation

Which of the following multiple sclerosis medications must be stored in the refrigerator and brought to room temperature for administration?

glatiramer acetate

what is one of the major ways in which antiepileptic medications can interact with each other and with other drugs

They can displace drugs from their binding sites on plasma proteins.

What drug blocks glutamate receptors in patients who have Alzheimer's disease?

memantine

What class of drugs may be used to diagnose and treat myasthenia gravis?

acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Which of the following drug classes is used to treat mild symptoms early in Alzheimer's disease?

acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

Which of the following anticonvulsants is a controlled substance?

phenobarbital

what drug is both a prophylaxis and treatment for influenza as well as Parkinson’s disease?

amantadine

What are the two neurotransmitters in the brain that play the greatest role in seizures?

GAGA and Glutamate

Which of the following is not true regarding the medication phenytoin?

used to manage neuropathic pain

Carbamazepine has a boxed warning for potentially fatal dermatologic reactions for which of the following population groups?

Asian parients

Methylphenidate, an agent used to treat children with ADD/ADHD, can best be characterized as a(n)

stimulant

What combination drug contains levodopa plus an inhibitor of peripheral levodopa metabolism?

Sinemet

Patients and providers must complete risk-benefit evaluations to manage epilepsy during pregnancy with which of the following drugs?

topiramate

Which anti-Parkinson's agent is associated with the on-off phenomenon?

levodopa

Which is a new class of anti-Parkinson agents that increases patient "on" time?

catechol-o-methyl transferase inhibitors

Which of the following anticonvulsants is also used to treat manic episodes in bipolar mood disorders?

valproate

Which of the following Alzheimer's disease drugs is commercially available as a transdermal patch under the brand name Exelon?

memantine

Which of the following anticonvulsant drugs is a GABA enhancer?

pregabalin

Which of the following is an over-the-count product thought, but not conclusively proven, to improve memory for patients with Alzheimer's disease

ginkgo biloba

Drug therapy for multiple sclerosis seeks to

slow down the progression of the disease

What is the most common drug therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease?

levodopa

Which of the following is a self-injected agent used for acute treatment of intermittent "off" time during the treatment of Parkinson's Disease?

apomorphine

Patients who are taking rasagiline should be advised to avoid which of the following types of food?

those that contain tyramine

The use of which anticonvulsant may result in physical or psychological dependence?

pregabalin

Bromocriptine is a drug often prescribed for patients with a diagnosis of

Parkinson’s disease

Which drug used to treat ADD/ADHD is not a controlled substance?

atomxetine

Carbamazepine is a drug used to control seizures and is also used in the treatment of

bipolar disorder

Which of the following drugs reduces the release of glutamate, norepinephrine, and substance P?

pregabalin

Which of the following is a goal of antiepileptic drug therapy?

reduce the frequency of seizures

Which of the following drugs was originally developed to improve cognition and is not structurally related to other anticonvulsants?

levetiracetam

Which of the following anticonvulsant drugs is also used to prevent migraines?

topiramate

Fosphenytoin is rapidly converted to which of the following drugs upon administration?

phentyoin

Which of the following medications used to treat Parkinson's disease can discolor a patient's urine to a red, brown, or black color?

entacapone

All of the following are side effects from taking the medication cyclophosphamide, except

increased appetite

What is the cause of a seizure?

excessive firing of neurons

Which of the following anticonvulsant drugs can also be used for shingles, fibromyalgia, hot flashes, hiccups, restless legs syndrome, and diabetic neuropathy?

gabapentin

The CNS stimulants all have boxed warnings for the potential of

dependence

Lamotrigine has a boxed warning about the possibility of which of the following?

fatal rashes

Which of the following drugs is not a commonly used agent for myasthenia gravis?

dopamine

What is the mechanism of action for anticholinergics drugs?

blocking muscarinic receptors in the brain

Which of the following conditions is an autoimmune disease characterized by the degeneration of myelin sheaths around nerves, which serve as electrical insulation?

multiple sclerosis

Which of the following conditions is a disorder of the interface between nerves and muscles, resulting from autoimmune damage to acetylcholine receptors at the motor end plate?

myasthenia gravis

Which of the following conditions is a degenerative disorder of the brain that leads to progressive dementia and changes in personality?

alzeimer’s disease

The FDA has issued a boxed warning for tiagabine about which of the following problems?

the ability to cause seizures

Due to serious adverse effects, which anticonvulsant requires the patient or guardian to sign informed consent to use?

felbamate

Due to the \_____, the small allowable differences in manufacturing can affect the effectiveness of anticonvulsants.

narrow therapeutic index

Patients who use a catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitor typically

may reduce the dosage of levodopa.

What is required to be dispensed with all antiepileptic drugs?

medication guide

Which of the following alternative therapies is used in patients with Parkinson's disease to improve motor symptoms?

5-hydroxytryptophan

Which of the following anticonvulsants should not be given to a patient with a sulfa allergy?

zonisamide

When levodopa crosses the blood-brain barrier, it is metabolized into which of the following neurotransmitters?

dopamine

Patients with Parkinson's disease have an imbalance of which of the following neurotransmitters?

dopamine and acetylcholine

Common therapy for children and adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder include the use of which of the following?

CNS stimulants

If a patient is taking methylphenidate for ADHD, which of the following drug classes should be avoided by the patient for the two weeks prior to starting therapy?

MAOIs

Gingival hyperplasia is a hallmark side effect of which anticonvulsant drug?

phenytoin

Certain drugs should not be taken within two weeks prior to the initiation of an MAOI. This time interval is known as the

washout peroid

Which of the following medications must have blood levels drawn within 5 to 10 days after the start of therapy to ensure therapeutic doses are being given?

lithium

Cyclic antidepressants are sometimes used for which of the following side effects?

sedation

\_____ is an antipsychotic drug that has a ceiling dose. Doses exceeding 800 mg can cause pigment deposits in the retina, sometimes leading to blindness.

Thioridazine

Given an example of an anxiety drug

buspirone

What is the term used to describe involuntary movements of the mouth, lips, and tongue that are sometimes accompanied by involuntary movements of the limbs or trunk?

tardive dyskinesia

If a patient is taking phenelzine, they should avoid all of the following except

fresh shellfish

All SSRI drugs are contraindicated with the use of which of the following drug classes?

MAIOs

Which of the following serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor drugs is available for hot flashes, fibromyalgia, and neuropathic pain?

desvenlafaxine

three examples that are controlled substances used to treat insomnia

temazepam, eszopiclone, triazolam

Which of the following antidepressants is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor with no direct effect on serotonin or monoamine oxidases?

bupropion

The serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor Cymbalta, carries an indication for the treatment of both depression and

pain

Paliperidone uses an extended-release technology called osmotic controlled-release oral delivery system. What should patients be made aware of in regard to this technology?

ghost tablets in the stool

Which of the following psychiatric disorders is characterized by feelings of pessimism, worry, intense sadness, loss of concentration, slowing of mental processes, and problems with eating and sleeping?

depression

An overdose of TCAs may result in CNS toxicity and

potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias.

Which of the following drugs is not a cyclic antidepressant?

trazodone

Which of the following drugs is an antipsychotic?

clozapine

An initial prescription of Zyban for smoking cessation should be dosed as

once daily for 3 days

Modafinil is a nonamphetamine, Schedule IV drug approved for which of the following conditions?

shift-work disorder

Which of the following drug classes have anticholinergic side effects, which may decrease urinary urgency?

TCA’s

Which of the following drugs is an anticholinergic drug that may produce an immediate, but not necessarily complete, response to excess muscle activity resulting from antipsychotic drug administration?

benztropine

Which of the following classifications of drugs inhibit the activity of the enzymes that break down catecholamines?

MAOI’S

Wellbutrin XL should be used with caution in patients with a history of which of the following conditions?

seizures

Zoloft and Zocor may be mistaken for one another. Zoloft is used to treat \_____ and Zocor is used to treat elevated cholesterol levels.

depression

Which of the following drugs is used for depression, Parkinson's disease, and Alzheimer's disease and is available as a transdermal patch?

selegiline

Which herbal supplement should not be used with other antidepressants due to an increased risk of serotonin syndrome?

St. Johns Warts

The primary indication for using antipsychotic drugs is to treat which of the following conditions?

schizophrenia

The drug lorazepam used to treat anxiety is classified as a controlled substance schedule in which of the following schedules?

Schedule IV

Which of the following drugs is classified as an SSRI?

Sertraline

The antidepressant \_____ should be used with caution in patients taking over-the-counter ginkgo biloba due to the possibility of serious interactions.

trazadone

Which of the following is a serious side effect of clozapine drug therapy, making it necessary for the dispensing pharmacist to review blood levels?

reduction in white blood cells

Which of the following is a pure opiate antagonist that blocks the effects of endogenous opioids released as a result of alcohol consumption?

natrexone

Prozac and Proscar are "look-alike and sound-alike" medications and are, therefore prone to error. Prozac is used to treat \_____ and Proscar is used to treat \_____.

depression; enlarged prostate

Which of the following tricyclic antidepressants is available as a cream used to treat pruritus (itching) in adults and geriatric patients?

doxepin

Celexa is often confused with Cerebyx and Celebrex, therefore, caution must be used in dispensing. Celexa is used to treat \_____, while Cerebyx is an anticonvulsant, and Celebrex is used to treat arthritis.

depression and OCD

What drug class is often used for the detoxification process for alcohol overdose?

benzodiazepines

What term is used to describe a mood of hyperactivity, extreme excitement, and excessive elation?

mania

Which of the following SSRIs is used to treat a severe form of premenstrual syndrome?

fluoxetine

Low doses of prochlorperazine are commonly used for

nausea and vomiting

Which two neurotransmitters are believed to be most involved with schizophrenia and the drugs used to treat this disorder?

dopamine and serotonin

Fluoxetine is an example of an antidepressant that appears to work through which of the following mechanisms?

It inhibits the reuptake of serotonin in the brain.

What is a common side effect from taking antipsychotic medications?

weight gain

Which of the following drugs used to treat insomnia is a melatonin receptor agonist?

ramelteon