Chapter 48 Antimalarial, Antiprotozoal, and Anthelmintic Drugs
Sealock Lilley’s Pharmacology for Canadian Health Care Practice
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient has giardiasis. The health care provider has prescribed metronidazole. What adverse effect
should the nurse tell the patient about?
a. Vertigo b. Seizures c. Diarrhea d. Insomnia
ANS C
Diarrhea is one of the many gastrointestinal effects of metronidazole. DIF Cognitive Level
Comprehension
2. Which drug is used to kill flukes?
a. praziquantel (Biltricide®)
b. pyrantel pamoate (Combantrin®)
c. mebendazole (Vermox®)
d. diethylcarbamazine
ANS A
Praziquantel is an anthelmintic that can kill flukes. DIF Cognitive Level Comprehension
3. A patient who has started therapy with quinine and tetracycline for treatment of malaria asks the
nurse why an antibiotic has been prescribed when malaria is caused by a parasite. What is the nurse’s
best explanation to the patient?
a. The tetracycline prevents reinfection with the malaria parasite.
b. The antibiotic is combined with quinine to reduce the adverse effects of the quinine.
c. An antibacterial drug prevents the occurrence of superinfection during antimalarial therapy. d.
The combination of both drugs takes advantage of their synergistic protozoacidal effects.
ANS D
Antimalarial drugs are often given in various combinations to achieve an additive or synergistic
antimalarial effect. For example, the combination of quinine and tetracycline takes advantage of their
synergistic protozoacidal effects.
, DIF Cognitive Level Analysis
4. A woman is travelling to a country that poses a high risk for malarial infections. What important
information should the nurse teach her regarding prophylactic therapy with chloroquine for her child?
a. The medication is better absorbed and has fewer adverse effects if taken on an empty stomach.
b. This drug should be started 3 weeks before exposure but can be discontinued after the patient
leaves the area.
c. This drug is to be taken only when mosquito bites are seen, because it can have toxic effects if
taken unnecessarily.
d. This drug is usually started 1 week before exposure to malarial areas and continued for 4 weeks after
the patient leaves the area.
ANS D
Prophylaxis of malaria with chloroquine for children is usually started 1 week before exposure and
continued for 4 weeks after the patient leaves the area. The medication should be taken with food to
lessen gastrointestinal upset.
DIF Cognitive Level Application
5. Which drug is used for the treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in late-stage human
immunodeficiency virus infection?
a. iodoquinol
b. pentamidine
c. praziquantel (Biltricide)
d. metronidazole (Flagyl®)
ANS B
Pentamidine is used for the treatment of pneumonia caused by P. jirovecii. DIF Cognitive Level
Comprehension
Sealock Lilley’s Pharmacology for Canadian Health Care Practice
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. A patient has giardiasis. The health care provider has prescribed metronidazole. What adverse effect
should the nurse tell the patient about?
a. Vertigo b. Seizures c. Diarrhea d. Insomnia
ANS C
Diarrhea is one of the many gastrointestinal effects of metronidazole. DIF Cognitive Level
Comprehension
2. Which drug is used to kill flukes?
a. praziquantel (Biltricide®)
b. pyrantel pamoate (Combantrin®)
c. mebendazole (Vermox®)
d. diethylcarbamazine
ANS A
Praziquantel is an anthelmintic that can kill flukes. DIF Cognitive Level Comprehension
3. A patient who has started therapy with quinine and tetracycline for treatment of malaria asks the
nurse why an antibiotic has been prescribed when malaria is caused by a parasite. What is the nurse’s
best explanation to the patient?
a. The tetracycline prevents reinfection with the malaria parasite.
b. The antibiotic is combined with quinine to reduce the adverse effects of the quinine.
c. An antibacterial drug prevents the occurrence of superinfection during antimalarial therapy. d.
The combination of both drugs takes advantage of their synergistic protozoacidal effects.
ANS D
Antimalarial drugs are often given in various combinations to achieve an additive or synergistic
antimalarial effect. For example, the combination of quinine and tetracycline takes advantage of their
synergistic protozoacidal effects.
, DIF Cognitive Level Analysis
4. A woman is travelling to a country that poses a high risk for malarial infections. What important
information should the nurse teach her regarding prophylactic therapy with chloroquine for her child?
a. The medication is better absorbed and has fewer adverse effects if taken on an empty stomach.
b. This drug should be started 3 weeks before exposure but can be discontinued after the patient
leaves the area.
c. This drug is to be taken only when mosquito bites are seen, because it can have toxic effects if
taken unnecessarily.
d. This drug is usually started 1 week before exposure to malarial areas and continued for 4 weeks after
the patient leaves the area.
ANS D
Prophylaxis of malaria with chloroquine for children is usually started 1 week before exposure and
continued for 4 weeks after the patient leaves the area. The medication should be taken with food to
lessen gastrointestinal upset.
DIF Cognitive Level Application
5. Which drug is used for the treatment of Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in late-stage human
immunodeficiency virus infection?
a. iodoquinol
b. pentamidine
c. praziquantel (Biltricide)
d. metronidazole (Flagyl®)
ANS B
Pentamidine is used for the treatment of pneumonia caused by P. jirovecii. DIF Cognitive Level
Comprehension
