NURS8024 PHARM EXAM
1QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Antacids ✅✅correct answ-weak bases that react with gastric acid to
form water and a salt → diminishing gastric acidity
Reduce pepsin activity - pepsin inactive at a pH >4
Wide variety* in chemical composition, acid-neutralizing capacity, sodium content, palatability, and
price
Acid neutralizing ability* of an antacid depends on its capacity to neutralize gastric HCl and on
whether the stomach is full or empty
• food delays stomach emptying, allowing more time for the antacid to react
Therapeutic uses of antacids ✅✅correct answ-• Symptomatic relief of peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
• May promote healing of duodenal ulcers, but not
robust evidence for efficacy in Tx of acute gastric
ulcers
• Calcium carbonate preparations
• also used as calcium supplements for the treatment of osteoporosis
Gastric acid secretion by parietal cells of the gastric mucosa are stimulated by ✅✅correct answ-
*acetycholine, histamine, gastrin
Receptor-mediated binding of acetylcholine, histamine, or gastrin results in ✅✅correct answ-*the
activation of protein kinases, which in
turn stimulates the H+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) proton pump
Gastrin and acetylcholine stimulate release of ✅✅correct answ-histamine
,receptor binding of prostaglandin E2 and
somatostatin diminish ✅✅correct answ-gastric acid production
Commonly used antacid drugs ✅✅correct answ-Classes
• Calcium salts: calcium carbonate: Tums/Rolaids
• Sodium bicarbonate: Alka-Seltzer
• Aluminum salts - Aluminum hydroxide: Amphojel; Aluminum carbonate: Basaljel
• Magnesium salts/ magnesium oxide: Milk of Magnesia
• Combination products
• Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox, Mylanta)
• Alginic acid, magnesium trisilicate, calcium stearate
(Gaviscon)
Adverse effects of antacids ✅✅correct answ-• Aluminum hydroxide tends to be constipating
• Magnesium hydroxide tends to cause diarrhea
• Binding of phosphate by aluminum-containing antacids → hypophosphatemia
• Sodium bicarbonate → belching and flatulence, potential for systemic alkalosis
• Sodium content of antacids → can be important in pts w/ HTN or CHF
• Excessive intake of calcium carbonate along w/ calcium foods → hypercalcemia
Mucosal Protective Agents ✅✅correct answ-Cytoprotective compounds
Sucralfate
Bismuth Compounds
Cytoprotective Compounds ✅✅correct answ-enhance mucosal protection
mechanisms → preventing mucosal injury, ↓ inflammation, promotes healing of existing ulcers
Sucralfate ✅✅correct answ-complex of aluminum hydroxide and sulfated sucrose
• Small, poorly soluble molecule
• Polymerizes in stomach acid → binds to injured tissue, forms physical barrier coating over ulcer
bed- impairs diffusion of HCl and prevents degradation of mucus by pepsin and acid
,• Accelerates healing of peptic ulcers and ↓ recurrence rate
• Stimulates prostaglandin release, mucus and bicarbonate output
• *BIG drawback.... Must be taken qid• used in long-term maintenance therapy to prevent
recurrence
• Requires an acidic pH for activation -should not be administered with H2 antagonists or antacids
• Little of the drug is absorbed systemically, very well tolerated
• Can interfere w/ absorption of other drugs by binding to them
• Does not prevent NSAID-induced ulcers
Bismuth Compounds ✅✅correct answ-• Coats ulcers → protective layer against acid and pepsin
• May stimulate prostaglandin, mucus, and bicarbonate secretion
• Antimicrobial effect- binds enterotoxins
• reduces stool frequency & liquidity in acute infectious diarrhea
• Causes black stools- harmless
• Avoid in renal insufficiency
In geriatric patients avoid use of ✅✅correct answ-- antacids that contain magnesium in patients
with renal failure
- sodium-containing antacids because of fluid
retention
Antacids in Pediatrics ✅✅correct answ-Safety not established in children
Antacids during pregnancy and lactation ✅✅correct answ-No FDA category established, although
antacids
generally are considered safe for use in pregnancy
Antisecretory agents ✅✅correct answ-Histamine-2 receptor antagonists
Proton pump inhibitors
Examples of Histamine-2 receptor antagonists ✅✅correct answ-ranitidine, *cimetidine,
famotidine, nizatidine
, Examples of Proton pump inhibitors ✅✅correct answ-• omeprazole, esomeprazole
• Lansoprazole, pantoprazole
• rabeprazole
H2 Receptor antagonists ✅✅correct answ-• MOA
• Acts selectively on H2 receptors in the stomach, blood vessels, and other sites (no effect on H1
receptors)
• Competitively blocks binding of histamine to H2 receptors
• less effective than PPIs against stimulated secretion
• Four drugs: cimetidine*. ranitidine, famotidine, and nizatidine
• Can inhibit > 90% basal, food-stimulated and nocturnal secretion of gastric acid after a single dose
• Main clinical use is to inhibit gastric acid secretion
• particularly effective against nocturnal acid secretion
H2 Receptor antagonist ADEs ✅✅correct answ-• H2 antagonists very safe
• ADE < 3% of patients - diarrhea, h/a, fatigue, myalgias, constipation
• Drugs such as ketoconazole, which depend on an acidic medium for gastric absorption, may not be
efficiently absorbed if taken w/ H2 blocker
• Not used for NSAID-induced ulcers
• Better healing and prevention with PPIs
Cimetidine ✅✅correct answ-• Inhibits cytochrome P450 and can slow metabolism -potentiating
the action of other drugs
• warfarin, diazepam, phenytoin, quinidine,
carbamazepine, theophylline, and imipramine
• Cimetidine can have endocrine effects, acts as a
nonsteroidal antiandrogen. (effects include gynecomastia, galactorrhea, and reduced sperm count)
Proton pump inhibitors inhibit ✅✅correct answ-H+/K+ ATPase proton pump
1QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Antacids ✅✅correct answ-weak bases that react with gastric acid to
form water and a salt → diminishing gastric acidity
Reduce pepsin activity - pepsin inactive at a pH >4
Wide variety* in chemical composition, acid-neutralizing capacity, sodium content, palatability, and
price
Acid neutralizing ability* of an antacid depends on its capacity to neutralize gastric HCl and on
whether the stomach is full or empty
• food delays stomach emptying, allowing more time for the antacid to react
Therapeutic uses of antacids ✅✅correct answ-• Symptomatic relief of peptic ulcer disease (PUD)
and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD)
• May promote healing of duodenal ulcers, but not
robust evidence for efficacy in Tx of acute gastric
ulcers
• Calcium carbonate preparations
• also used as calcium supplements for the treatment of osteoporosis
Gastric acid secretion by parietal cells of the gastric mucosa are stimulated by ✅✅correct answ-
*acetycholine, histamine, gastrin
Receptor-mediated binding of acetylcholine, histamine, or gastrin results in ✅✅correct answ-*the
activation of protein kinases, which in
turn stimulates the H+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) proton pump
Gastrin and acetylcholine stimulate release of ✅✅correct answ-histamine
,receptor binding of prostaglandin E2 and
somatostatin diminish ✅✅correct answ-gastric acid production
Commonly used antacid drugs ✅✅correct answ-Classes
• Calcium salts: calcium carbonate: Tums/Rolaids
• Sodium bicarbonate: Alka-Seltzer
• Aluminum salts - Aluminum hydroxide: Amphojel; Aluminum carbonate: Basaljel
• Magnesium salts/ magnesium oxide: Milk of Magnesia
• Combination products
• Aluminum hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide (Maalox, Mylanta)
• Alginic acid, magnesium trisilicate, calcium stearate
(Gaviscon)
Adverse effects of antacids ✅✅correct answ-• Aluminum hydroxide tends to be constipating
• Magnesium hydroxide tends to cause diarrhea
• Binding of phosphate by aluminum-containing antacids → hypophosphatemia
• Sodium bicarbonate → belching and flatulence, potential for systemic alkalosis
• Sodium content of antacids → can be important in pts w/ HTN or CHF
• Excessive intake of calcium carbonate along w/ calcium foods → hypercalcemia
Mucosal Protective Agents ✅✅correct answ-Cytoprotective compounds
Sucralfate
Bismuth Compounds
Cytoprotective Compounds ✅✅correct answ-enhance mucosal protection
mechanisms → preventing mucosal injury, ↓ inflammation, promotes healing of existing ulcers
Sucralfate ✅✅correct answ-complex of aluminum hydroxide and sulfated sucrose
• Small, poorly soluble molecule
• Polymerizes in stomach acid → binds to injured tissue, forms physical barrier coating over ulcer
bed- impairs diffusion of HCl and prevents degradation of mucus by pepsin and acid
,• Accelerates healing of peptic ulcers and ↓ recurrence rate
• Stimulates prostaglandin release, mucus and bicarbonate output
• *BIG drawback.... Must be taken qid• used in long-term maintenance therapy to prevent
recurrence
• Requires an acidic pH for activation -should not be administered with H2 antagonists or antacids
• Little of the drug is absorbed systemically, very well tolerated
• Can interfere w/ absorption of other drugs by binding to them
• Does not prevent NSAID-induced ulcers
Bismuth Compounds ✅✅correct answ-• Coats ulcers → protective layer against acid and pepsin
• May stimulate prostaglandin, mucus, and bicarbonate secretion
• Antimicrobial effect- binds enterotoxins
• reduces stool frequency & liquidity in acute infectious diarrhea
• Causes black stools- harmless
• Avoid in renal insufficiency
In geriatric patients avoid use of ✅✅correct answ-- antacids that contain magnesium in patients
with renal failure
- sodium-containing antacids because of fluid
retention
Antacids in Pediatrics ✅✅correct answ-Safety not established in children
Antacids during pregnancy and lactation ✅✅correct answ-No FDA category established, although
antacids
generally are considered safe for use in pregnancy
Antisecretory agents ✅✅correct answ-Histamine-2 receptor antagonists
Proton pump inhibitors
Examples of Histamine-2 receptor antagonists ✅✅correct answ-ranitidine, *cimetidine,
famotidine, nizatidine
, Examples of Proton pump inhibitors ✅✅correct answ-• omeprazole, esomeprazole
• Lansoprazole, pantoprazole
• rabeprazole
H2 Receptor antagonists ✅✅correct answ-• MOA
• Acts selectively on H2 receptors in the stomach, blood vessels, and other sites (no effect on H1
receptors)
• Competitively blocks binding of histamine to H2 receptors
• less effective than PPIs against stimulated secretion
• Four drugs: cimetidine*. ranitidine, famotidine, and nizatidine
• Can inhibit > 90% basal, food-stimulated and nocturnal secretion of gastric acid after a single dose
• Main clinical use is to inhibit gastric acid secretion
• particularly effective against nocturnal acid secretion
H2 Receptor antagonist ADEs ✅✅correct answ-• H2 antagonists very safe
• ADE < 3% of patients - diarrhea, h/a, fatigue, myalgias, constipation
• Drugs such as ketoconazole, which depend on an acidic medium for gastric absorption, may not be
efficiently absorbed if taken w/ H2 blocker
• Not used for NSAID-induced ulcers
• Better healing and prevention with PPIs
Cimetidine ✅✅correct answ-• Inhibits cytochrome P450 and can slow metabolism -potentiating
the action of other drugs
• warfarin, diazepam, phenytoin, quinidine,
carbamazepine, theophylline, and imipramine
• Cimetidine can have endocrine effects, acts as a
nonsteroidal antiandrogen. (effects include gynecomastia, galactorrhea, and reduced sperm count)
Proton pump inhibitors inhibit ✅✅correct answ-H+/K+ ATPase proton pump
