NURS 615 PHARM EXAM 3 QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
200 Practice Questions – Multi Choice with Answers & Explanations
Question 1
Henry presents to clinic with a significantly swollen, painful great toe and is diagnosed with gout. Of the
following, which would be the best treatment for Henry?
A) High-dose colchicine
B) Low-dose colchicine
C) High-dose aspirin
D) Acetaminophen with codeine
Answer: B
Explanation: Low-dose colchicine (1.2 mg followed by 0.6 mg one hour later for a total dose of 1.8 mg) is
the recommended treatment for acute gout flares due to its efficacy and reduced toxicity compared to
high-dose regimens .
Question 2
Patient education when prescribing colchicine includes:
A) Colchicine may be constipating
B) Colchicine always causes some degree ofdiarrhea
C) Mild muscle weakness is normal
D) Moderate amounts of alcohol are safe with colchicine
Answer: B
,Explanation: Colchicine commonly causes dose-related gastrointestinal adverse effects including severe
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Patients should be warned about these effects .
Question 3
Larry is taking allopurinol to prevent gout. Monitoring of a patient who is taking allopurinol includes:
A) Complete blood count
B) Blood glucose
C) C-reactive protein
D) BUN, creatinine, and creatinine clearance
Answer: D
Explanation: Allopurinol is excreted renally, and monitoring renal function through BUN, creatinine, and
creatinine clearance is essential to prevent toxicity and adjust dosing appropriately .
Question 4
Phil is starting treatment with febuxostat (Uloric). Education for patients starting febuxostat includes:
A) Gout may worsen with therapy
B) Febuxostat may cause severe diarrhea
C) He should consume a high-calcium diet
D) He will need frequent CBC monitoring
Answer: A
Explanation: Febuxostat can cause an initial worsening of gout flares as serum uric acid levels rapidly
decrease, mobilizing urate deposits. Patients should be informed that gout may temporarily worsen
before improving .
,Question 5
Sallie has been taking 10 mg per day of prednisone for the past 6 months. She should be assessed for:
A) Gout
B) Iron deficiency anemia
C) Osteoporosis
D) Renal dysfunction
Answer: C
Explanation: Chronic corticosteroid use increases osteoclastic activity while decreasing osteoblastic
activity, leading to bone loss and osteoporosis. Patients on long-term steroids require bone density
monitoring .
Question 6
Patients whose total dose of prednisone will exceed 1 gram will most likely need a second prescription
for:
A) Metformin, a biguanide to prevent diabetes
B) Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor to prevent peptic ulcer disease
C) Naproxen, an NSAID to treat joint pain
D) Furosemide, a diuretic to treat fluid retention
Answer: B
Explanation: High-dose or prolonged corticosteroid therapy significantly increases the risk of peptic ulcer
disease. Prophylactic use of proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole) is recommended to reduce this
risk .
, Question 7
Daniel has been on 60 mg of prednisone for 10 days to treat a severe asthma exacerbation. It is time to
discontinue the prednisone. How is prednisone discontinued?
A) Patients with asthma are transitioned directly off prednisone onto inhaled corticosteroids
B) Prednisone can be abruptly discontinued with no adverse effects
C) Develop a tapering schedule to slowly wean Daniel off the prednisone
D) Substitute prednisone with another anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen
Answer: C
Explanation: Even after short-term high-dose corticosteroid use, abrupt withdrawal can cause adrenal
insufficiency. A tapering schedule is necessary to allow the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to
recover .
Question 8
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are on chronic low-dose prednisone will need co-treatment with
which medications to prevent further adverse effects?
A) A bisphosphonate
B) Calcium supplementation
C) Vitamin D
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: Chronic corticosteroid users require comprehensive bone protection including
bisphosphonates, calcium supplementation, and vitamin D to prevent steroid-induced osteoporosis .
AND ANSWERS GRADED A+ 2026
200 Practice Questions – Multi Choice with Answers & Explanations
Question 1
Henry presents to clinic with a significantly swollen, painful great toe and is diagnosed with gout. Of the
following, which would be the best treatment for Henry?
A) High-dose colchicine
B) Low-dose colchicine
C) High-dose aspirin
D) Acetaminophen with codeine
Answer: B
Explanation: Low-dose colchicine (1.2 mg followed by 0.6 mg one hour later for a total dose of 1.8 mg) is
the recommended treatment for acute gout flares due to its efficacy and reduced toxicity compared to
high-dose regimens .
Question 2
Patient education when prescribing colchicine includes:
A) Colchicine may be constipating
B) Colchicine always causes some degree ofdiarrhea
C) Mild muscle weakness is normal
D) Moderate amounts of alcohol are safe with colchicine
Answer: B
,Explanation: Colchicine commonly causes dose-related gastrointestinal adverse effects including severe
diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Patients should be warned about these effects .
Question 3
Larry is taking allopurinol to prevent gout. Monitoring of a patient who is taking allopurinol includes:
A) Complete blood count
B) Blood glucose
C) C-reactive protein
D) BUN, creatinine, and creatinine clearance
Answer: D
Explanation: Allopurinol is excreted renally, and monitoring renal function through BUN, creatinine, and
creatinine clearance is essential to prevent toxicity and adjust dosing appropriately .
Question 4
Phil is starting treatment with febuxostat (Uloric). Education for patients starting febuxostat includes:
A) Gout may worsen with therapy
B) Febuxostat may cause severe diarrhea
C) He should consume a high-calcium diet
D) He will need frequent CBC monitoring
Answer: A
Explanation: Febuxostat can cause an initial worsening of gout flares as serum uric acid levels rapidly
decrease, mobilizing urate deposits. Patients should be informed that gout may temporarily worsen
before improving .
,Question 5
Sallie has been taking 10 mg per day of prednisone for the past 6 months. She should be assessed for:
A) Gout
B) Iron deficiency anemia
C) Osteoporosis
D) Renal dysfunction
Answer: C
Explanation: Chronic corticosteroid use increases osteoclastic activity while decreasing osteoblastic
activity, leading to bone loss and osteoporosis. Patients on long-term steroids require bone density
monitoring .
Question 6
Patients whose total dose of prednisone will exceed 1 gram will most likely need a second prescription
for:
A) Metformin, a biguanide to prevent diabetes
B) Omeprazole, a proton pump inhibitor to prevent peptic ulcer disease
C) Naproxen, an NSAID to treat joint pain
D) Furosemide, a diuretic to treat fluid retention
Answer: B
Explanation: High-dose or prolonged corticosteroid therapy significantly increases the risk of peptic ulcer
disease. Prophylactic use of proton pump inhibitors (e.g., omeprazole) is recommended to reduce this
risk .
, Question 7
Daniel has been on 60 mg of prednisone for 10 days to treat a severe asthma exacerbation. It is time to
discontinue the prednisone. How is prednisone discontinued?
A) Patients with asthma are transitioned directly off prednisone onto inhaled corticosteroids
B) Prednisone can be abruptly discontinued with no adverse effects
C) Develop a tapering schedule to slowly wean Daniel off the prednisone
D) Substitute prednisone with another anti-inflammatory such as ibuprofen
Answer: C
Explanation: Even after short-term high-dose corticosteroid use, abrupt withdrawal can cause adrenal
insufficiency. A tapering schedule is necessary to allow the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis to
recover .
Question 8
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are on chronic low-dose prednisone will need co-treatment with
which medications to prevent further adverse effects?
A) A bisphosphonate
B) Calcium supplementation
C) Vitamin D
D) All of the above
Answer: D
Explanation: Chronic corticosteroid users require comprehensive bone protection including
bisphosphonates, calcium supplementation, and vitamin D to prevent steroid-induced osteoporosis .
