NSW AMBULANCE PHARMACOLOGY UPDATED QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
Sympathomimetic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Type
▪Stimulates the ALPHA and BETA receptors of the sympathetic nervous system
to produce the "Fight or Flight" reaction
▪ALPHA stimulation causes peripheral vasoconstriction. It raises the perfusion
pressure of vital organs during cardiac arrest and it decreases capillary
permeability and increases blood pressure in anaphylaxis
▪BETA 1 stimulation causes increased myocardial excitability, tachycardia and
increased myocardial contractility
▪BETA 2 stimulation causes bronchodilation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline
Actions
▪C3 - Cardiac arrest
▪C7 - Bradycardia
▪C6 - Cardiogenic shock
▪M4 - Asthma
▪M16 - Anaphylaxis & Allergic Reactions
▪M7 - Croup
▪OP4 - Newborn resuscitation
▪C16 - Return of Spontaneous Circulation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Use
▪Tachycardia
▪Dysrhythmias, including VF
▪Hypertension
▪Pupillary dilation
▪Anxiety
,▪Nausea & vomiting - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Adverse Effects
Nil for NSW Ambulance - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Contraindications
Anti-arrhythmic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Type
▪Slows the sinus rate and increases the refractory period of the Av node
▪Decreases peripheral resistance - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Action
▪C3 - Cardiac arrest
▪C8 - Dysrhythmias - Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Use
▪Hypotension
▪Bradycardia
▪Dysrhythmias - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Adverse Effects
Torsades de Pointes - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Contraindications
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Type
▪Inhibits platelet aggregation thereby limiting thrombus enlargement in acute coronary syndrome
▪Reduces production of prostaglandins thereby relieving pain and fever - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Action
C1 - Acute coronary syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Use
▪Allergic reactions (e.g. asthma, angioneurotic oedema, rhinitis, urticaria, laryngeal
oedema and shock - Always check for history of previous reaction)
, ▪Aggravation of any bleeding tendency
▪Gastric irritation (unlikely to be significant with one tablet)
▪Bleeding may take longer to stop - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Adverse Effects
▪Allergy or hypersensitivity to aspirin
▪Active, suspected or known bleeding tendency
▪Patients < 16 years of age
▪Patients meeting protocol T1 trauma criteria - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin
Contraindications
Anticholinergic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Type
Antagonises the parasympathetic effects of acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors
resulting in:
▪Increased heart rate via increasing intrinsic rate of the sino-atrial node and
conduction through the atrio-ventricular node
▪Reducing smooth muscle contraction resulting in pupillary dilation, reduced
gastrointestinal motility and reduced bladder tone
▪Blocks exocrine gland activity causing decreased salivary, bronchial, gastric
and sweat secretions - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Actions
▪C7 - Dysrhythmias - Bradycardia
▪DT7 - Organophosphates
▪DT5 - Nerve Agent Poisoning - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Use
▪Dry mouth
▪Blurred vision
▪Tachycardia
AND ANSWERS
Sympathomimetic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Type
▪Stimulates the ALPHA and BETA receptors of the sympathetic nervous system
to produce the "Fight or Flight" reaction
▪ALPHA stimulation causes peripheral vasoconstriction. It raises the perfusion
pressure of vital organs during cardiac arrest and it decreases capillary
permeability and increases blood pressure in anaphylaxis
▪BETA 1 stimulation causes increased myocardial excitability, tachycardia and
increased myocardial contractility
▪BETA 2 stimulation causes bronchodilation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline
Actions
▪C3 - Cardiac arrest
▪C7 - Bradycardia
▪C6 - Cardiogenic shock
▪M4 - Asthma
▪M16 - Anaphylaxis & Allergic Reactions
▪M7 - Croup
▪OP4 - Newborn resuscitation
▪C16 - Return of Spontaneous Circulation - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Use
▪Tachycardia
▪Dysrhythmias, including VF
▪Hypertension
▪Pupillary dilation
▪Anxiety
,▪Nausea & vomiting - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Adverse Effects
Nil for NSW Ambulance - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Adrenaline Contraindications
Anti-arrhythmic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Type
▪Slows the sinus rate and increases the refractory period of the Av node
▪Decreases peripheral resistance - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Action
▪C3 - Cardiac arrest
▪C8 - Dysrhythmias - Tachycardia - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Use
▪Hypotension
▪Bradycardia
▪Dysrhythmias - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Adverse Effects
Torsades de Pointes - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Amiodarone Contraindications
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Type
▪Inhibits platelet aggregation thereby limiting thrombus enlargement in acute coronary syndrome
▪Reduces production of prostaglandins thereby relieving pain and fever - CORRECT
ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Action
C1 - Acute coronary syndrome - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Use
▪Allergic reactions (e.g. asthma, angioneurotic oedema, rhinitis, urticaria, laryngeal
oedema and shock - Always check for history of previous reaction)
, ▪Aggravation of any bleeding tendency
▪Gastric irritation (unlikely to be significant with one tablet)
▪Bleeding may take longer to stop - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin Adverse Effects
▪Allergy or hypersensitivity to aspirin
▪Active, suspected or known bleeding tendency
▪Patients < 16 years of age
▪Patients meeting protocol T1 trauma criteria - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Aspirin
Contraindications
Anticholinergic - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Type
Antagonises the parasympathetic effects of acetylcholine on muscarinic receptors
resulting in:
▪Increased heart rate via increasing intrinsic rate of the sino-atrial node and
conduction through the atrio-ventricular node
▪Reducing smooth muscle contraction resulting in pupillary dilation, reduced
gastrointestinal motility and reduced bladder tone
▪Blocks exocrine gland activity causing decreased salivary, bronchial, gastric
and sweat secretions - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Actions
▪C7 - Dysrhythmias - Bradycardia
▪DT7 - Organophosphates
▪DT5 - Nerve Agent Poisoning - CORRECT ANSWER✅✅✅Atropine Use
▪Dry mouth
▪Blurred vision
▪Tachycardia
