PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION EXAM UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION EXAM
UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS

Question:
1. If a drug is .12% (eg. triamcinolone .12%), how many mg are in a tube?
Answer:
.12mg (.12g/100ml)

Question:
2. how many ml in an oz?
Answer:
30 ml

Question:
3. what is the formula for finding the amount of needed diluant?
Answer:
q2 - q1

Question:
4. How do you set up an allegation table in order to find a intermediate strength? We have a 3% and 10%
strength Hydrogen peroxide solution. We want to find how many parts of each strength is needed.
Answer:
Top left = higher strength Top right = higher strength part Bottom left = lower strength Bottom right =
lower strength part Middle = goal strength
Subtract middle from the strength (e.g. 10-5 = 5)
- disregard negative sign
answer = 5 parts 10% and 2 parts 3%
- Adding both parts of the higher strength and lower strength = total parts needed

Question:
5. After setting up an alligation table, how do you find the amount of product needed per each strength?
We have 1,200ml of a product; the ratio is 20 parts of lower strength and 10 parts of higher strength; the
total parts is 30.
Answer:
Total parts/ higher strength parts = ml product/ x
30 parts/ 10 parts = 1200/ x; x = 400; 1200 - 400 = 800; 400 ml higher strength and 800 ml lower strength

Question:
6. if you have a 100-U 10 ml vile, how many units are in the entire vile?
Answer:
1,000 units (100 units per ml)

Question:
7. T/F: The smaller the guage, the larger the bore of the needle

,Answer:
True

Question:
8. What does TPN stand for?
Answer:
Total parenteral nutrition

Question:
9. How often should laminar flow hoods be inspected?
Answer:
Every 6 months

Question:
10. What two places can chemotherapy drugs be compounded?
Answer:
Either a vertical laminar flow hood or a Class II biosafety cabinet

Question:
11. What are common symptoms of morphine? (4 things)
Answer:
- Diarrhea
- stomach pain
- headaches/ dizziness
- nausea/ stomach pain/ vomiting

Question:
12. What is gemfibrozil for?
Answer:
high cholesterol

Question:
13. How does antacids work? What are examples of antacids? Side effects? Drug Interactions?
Answer:
Acts as a base to neutralize the gastric acid; examples are Calcium Carbonate (Maalox), Magnesium
Hydroxide & Aluminum Hydroxide; Sides effects are constipation in aluminum (not good for elderly) and
diarrhea in magnesium (milk of magnesia); also harsh on kidneys

Question:
14. What are the three types of acid reducers?
Answer:
Antacids, H2 Receptor Antagonists, Proton Pump Inhibitors

Question:
15. How do H2 Receptor Antagonists work? What are examples? Side effects? Drug interactions?

, Answer:
- Works against stomach cells to prevent secretion of gastric acid
- Famotidine (Pepsid), Ranitidine (Zantac), Cimetidine (Tagamet)
- little side effects/ interactions; takes 1-2 hours to take effect
*H2 Receptor Antagonists often ends with -tidine

Question:
16. How do Proton Pump Inhibitors work? What are examples?
Answer:
- Works against acid pumps in stomach to prevent secretion of gastric acid OTC:
- Esomeprazole (Nexium)
- Omeprazole (Prilosec)
-Lansoprazole (Prevacid) RX:
-Rabeprazole (AcipHex)
-Pantoprazole (Protonix)
-Dexlansoprazole (Dexilant)
*decrease amount of acid more than H2 RA *Most end with -prazole

Question:
17. What is lomotil (diphenoxylate with atropine) for? What drug class is it? What about Loperamide?
Answer:
Diarrhea; Schedule 5; Loperamide is generic Imodium which is OTC

Question:
18. Which antibiotics get effected by certain antidiarrheals and acid reducers? (2 items)
Answer:
Tetracyclines & Fluoroquinolones

Question:
19. How do emolliant laxatives work? What is the common ingrediant?
Answer:
- Allows more water to be absored into the stool, "softening" the stool and allowing it to pass easier (stool
softener)
- Docusate

Question:
20. How do saline laxatives work? What are common forms?
Answer:
- Draws fluid into the intestines, shortening the time to pass stool
- Milk of Magnesia and Magnesium Citrate

Question:
21. How do Hyperosmotic laxatives work? What are common forms?
Answer:
- Increases fluid in the intestinal lining
- Lactulose & Polyethylene Glycole
*Lactulose is used on patients with chronic constipation, such as those with high pain med use