2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A+ grade
EXAM | COMPLETE TEST BANK 270
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES | GUARANTEED PASS
| ACE YOUR EXAM | LATEST VERSION
1. Which of the following medications is a beta-blocker?
A) Lisinopril
B) Metoprolol
C) Amlodipine
D) Furosemide
Answer: B) Metoprolol
Rationale: Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that works by blocking beta receptors, which reduces heart rate and blood
pressure. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor, Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker, and Furosemide is a diuretic.
2. Which class of drugs is most commonly prescribed for managing hypertension?
A) Calcium channel blockers
B) Benzodiazepines
C) Anticholinergics
D) Beta-blockers
Answer: A) Calcium channel blockers
Rationale: Calcium channel blockers are commonly used to treat hypertension by relaxing the blood vessels. Beta-
blockers are also used, but calcium channel blockers are more frequently prescribed for hypertension.
3. What is the primary action of warfarin (Coumadin)?
A) Increases platelet aggregation
B) Inhibits the synthesis of clotting factors
C) Inhibits thrombin
D) Stimulates fibrinolysis
1
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
Answer: B) Inhibits the synthesis of clotting factors
Rationale: Warfarin is an anticoagulant that works by inhibiting the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, thus
preventing blood clots from forming. It doesn't directly affect thrombin or platelet aggregation.
4. Which of the following is a common side effect of opioid analgesics?
A) Hypertension
B) Diarrhea
C) Constipation
D) Insomnia
Answer: C) Constipation
Rationale: Opioids commonly cause constipation because they slow down gastrointestinal motility.
5. Which drug is an example of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)?
A) Ranitidine
B) Omeprazole
C) Sucralfate
D) Misoprostol
Answer: B) Omeprazole
Rationale: Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that reduces stomach acid production by inhibiting the enzyme
responsible for acid secretion.
6. What is the mechanism of action of aspirin in the prevention of heart attacks?
A) Reduces cholesterol levels
B) Inhibits platelet aggregation
C) Increases blood flow to the heart
D) Increases fibrinolysis
Answer: B) Inhibits platelet aggregation
Rationale: Aspirin works by irreversibly inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), which reduces the formation of
thromboxane A2, a substance that promotes platelet aggregation and clot formation.
7. Which of the following is a major adverse effect of statins?
A) Hypokalemia
B) Muscle pain (myopathy)
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Weight gain
Answer: B) Muscle pain (myopathy)
Rationale: Statins can cause muscle pain or myopathy, and in severe cases, they can lead to rhabdomyolysis, a
serious muscle breakdown disorder.
8. Which class of drugs is used to treat type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity?
2
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
A) Sulfonylureas
B) Metformin
C) Insulin
D) Thiazolidinediones
Answer: B) Metformin
Rationale: Metformin increases insulin sensitivity and decreases glucose production by the liver, which helps control
blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.
9. Which of the following is a potential side effect of long-term corticosteroid therapy?
A) Hypotension
B) Osteoporosis
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Weight loss
Answer: B) Osteoporosis
Rationale: Long-term corticosteroid use can lead to bone thinning (osteoporosis) due to the drugs’ effects on calcium
and bone metabolism.
10. What is the antidote for acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose?
A) Naloxone
B) N-acetylcysteine
C) Flumazenil
D) Activated charcoal
Answer: B) N-acetylcysteine
Rationale: N-acetylcysteine is the antidote for acetaminophen overdose, as it helps replenish glutathione, which is
necessary to neutralize toxic metabolites of acetaminophen.
11. Which of the following is an indication for the use of digoxin?
A) Heart failure
B) Hypertension
C) Hyperthyroidism
D) Hyperlipidemia
Answer: A) Heart failure
Rationale: Digoxin is used to treat heart failure by improving the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action and
controlling irregular heart rhythms.
12. Which of the following is a common side effect of antihistamines?
A) Drowsiness
B) Hypertension
3
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
C) Diarrhea
D) Insomnia
Answer: A) Drowsiness
Rationale: First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, often cause drowsiness as they cross the
blood-brain barrier and bind to histamine receptors in the brain.
13. What is the primary purpose of using an inhaled corticosteroid in asthma management?
A) To relieve acute bronchospasm
B) To prevent inflammation in the airways
C) To decrease mucus production
D) To increase airflow through the lungs
Answer: B) To prevent inflammation in the airways
Rationale: Inhaled corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation and swelling in the airways, helping to prevent
asthma symptoms.
14. Which of the following is the main function of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors?
A) Lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels
B) Decrease blood sugar levels
C) Increase the heart rate
D) Reduce the production of insulin
Answer: A) Lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels
Rationale: ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure by preventing the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which
causes vasodilation.
15. Which medication is considered a "first-line" treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A) Lorazepam
B) Fluoxetine
C) Amitriptyline
D) Diazepam
Answer: B) Fluoxetine
Rationale: Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is commonly prescribed as a first-line treatment
for GAD because of its efficacy and favorable side-effect profile.
16. What is the mechanism of action of beta-lactam antibiotics?
A) Inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis
B) Inhibit bacterial protein synthesis
C) Inhibit bacterial DNA synthesis
D) Disrupt bacterial cell membrane
4
2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A+ grade
EXAM | COMPLETE TEST BANK 270
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT ANSWERS WITH
DETAILED RATIONALES | GUARANTEED PASS
| ACE YOUR EXAM | LATEST VERSION
1. Which of the following medications is a beta-blocker?
A) Lisinopril
B) Metoprolol
C) Amlodipine
D) Furosemide
Answer: B) Metoprolol
Rationale: Metoprolol is a beta-blocker that works by blocking beta receptors, which reduces heart rate and blood
pressure. Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitor, Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker, and Furosemide is a diuretic.
2. Which class of drugs is most commonly prescribed for managing hypertension?
A) Calcium channel blockers
B) Benzodiazepines
C) Anticholinergics
D) Beta-blockers
Answer: A) Calcium channel blockers
Rationale: Calcium channel blockers are commonly used to treat hypertension by relaxing the blood vessels. Beta-
blockers are also used, but calcium channel blockers are more frequently prescribed for hypertension.
3. What is the primary action of warfarin (Coumadin)?
A) Increases platelet aggregation
B) Inhibits the synthesis of clotting factors
C) Inhibits thrombin
D) Stimulates fibrinolysis
1
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
Answer: B) Inhibits the synthesis of clotting factors
Rationale: Warfarin is an anticoagulant that works by inhibiting the vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, thus
preventing blood clots from forming. It doesn't directly affect thrombin or platelet aggregation.
4. Which of the following is a common side effect of opioid analgesics?
A) Hypertension
B) Diarrhea
C) Constipation
D) Insomnia
Answer: C) Constipation
Rationale: Opioids commonly cause constipation because they slow down gastrointestinal motility.
5. Which drug is an example of a proton pump inhibitor (PPI)?
A) Ranitidine
B) Omeprazole
C) Sucralfate
D) Misoprostol
Answer: B) Omeprazole
Rationale: Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor that reduces stomach acid production by inhibiting the enzyme
responsible for acid secretion.
6. What is the mechanism of action of aspirin in the prevention of heart attacks?
A) Reduces cholesterol levels
B) Inhibits platelet aggregation
C) Increases blood flow to the heart
D) Increases fibrinolysis
Answer: B) Inhibits platelet aggregation
Rationale: Aspirin works by irreversibly inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX), which reduces the formation of
thromboxane A2, a substance that promotes platelet aggregation and clot formation.
7. Which of the following is a major adverse effect of statins?
A) Hypokalemia
B) Muscle pain (myopathy)
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Weight gain
Answer: B) Muscle pain (myopathy)
Rationale: Statins can cause muscle pain or myopathy, and in severe cases, they can lead to rhabdomyolysis, a
serious muscle breakdown disorder.
8. Which class of drugs is used to treat type 2 diabetes by increasing insulin sensitivity?
2
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
A) Sulfonylureas
B) Metformin
C) Insulin
D) Thiazolidinediones
Answer: B) Metformin
Rationale: Metformin increases insulin sensitivity and decreases glucose production by the liver, which helps control
blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes.
9. Which of the following is a potential side effect of long-term corticosteroid therapy?
A) Hypotension
B) Osteoporosis
C) Hypoglycemia
D) Weight loss
Answer: B) Osteoporosis
Rationale: Long-term corticosteroid use can lead to bone thinning (osteoporosis) due to the drugs’ effects on calcium
and bone metabolism.
10. What is the antidote for acetaminophen (Tylenol) overdose?
A) Naloxone
B) N-acetylcysteine
C) Flumazenil
D) Activated charcoal
Answer: B) N-acetylcysteine
Rationale: N-acetylcysteine is the antidote for acetaminophen overdose, as it helps replenish glutathione, which is
necessary to neutralize toxic metabolites of acetaminophen.
11. Which of the following is an indication for the use of digoxin?
A) Heart failure
B) Hypertension
C) Hyperthyroidism
D) Hyperlipidemia
Answer: A) Heart failure
Rationale: Digoxin is used to treat heart failure by improving the efficiency of the heart’s pumping action and
controlling irregular heart rhythms.
12. Which of the following is a common side effect of antihistamines?
A) Drowsiness
B) Hypertension
3
, 2025 RELIAS RN PHARMACOLOGY A EXAM PHARMACOLOGY
C) Diarrhea
D) Insomnia
Answer: A) Drowsiness
Rationale: First-generation antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, often cause drowsiness as they cross the
blood-brain barrier and bind to histamine receptors in the brain.
13. What is the primary purpose of using an inhaled corticosteroid in asthma management?
A) To relieve acute bronchospasm
B) To prevent inflammation in the airways
C) To decrease mucus production
D) To increase airflow through the lungs
Answer: B) To prevent inflammation in the airways
Rationale: Inhaled corticosteroids are used to reduce inflammation and swelling in the airways, helping to prevent
asthma symptoms.
14. Which of the following is the main function of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors?
A) Lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels
B) Decrease blood sugar levels
C) Increase the heart rate
D) Reduce the production of insulin
Answer: A) Lower blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels
Rationale: ACE inhibitors lower blood pressure by preventing the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II, which
causes vasodilation.
15. Which medication is considered a "first-line" treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)?
A) Lorazepam
B) Fluoxetine
C) Amitriptyline
D) Diazepam
Answer: B) Fluoxetine
Rationale: Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), is commonly prescribed as a first-line treatment
for GAD because of its efficacy and favorable side-effect profile.
16. What is the mechanism of action of beta-lactam antibiotics?
A) Inhibit bacterial cell wall synthesis
B) Inhibit bacterial protein synthesis
C) Inhibit bacterial DNA synthesis
D) Disrupt bacterial cell membrane
4
