Final Exam NURS617 / NURS 617 –
Pharmacotherapeutics Review | Qs & As |
Grade A | 100% Correct (Verified Answers)
– Southeastern Louisiana
Section 1: Foundational Principles & Cardiovascular
1. What is the primary goal of Phase I clinical trials?
A) To assess the drug's effectiveness in a large population
B) To determine the drug's safety and dosage in a small group of
healthy volunteers
C) To monitor long-term side effects after market approval
D) To compare the new drug to current standard treatments
Answer: B) To determine the drug's safety and dosage in a small
group of healthy volunteers
2. A patient's renal function declines. The nurse anticipates that the
dosage for a medication that is primarily renally excreted will
likely need to be:
A) Increased
B) Decreased
C) Stayed the same
D) Changed to a different route
Answer: B) Decreased
3. The "Therapeutic Index" (TI) of a drug is a measure of:
A) Its potency compared to other drugs
B) Its safety margin (ratio of toxic dose to effective dose)
, C) Its cost-effectiveness for treatment
D) The time it takes to reach peak plasma concentration
Answer: B) Its safety margin (ratio of toxic dose to effective dose)
4. Which class of antihypertensive drugs is often considered first-
line therapy, especially in African American patients?
A) ACE Inhibitors
B) Thiazide Diuretics
C) Beta-Blockers
D) Calcium Channel Blockers
Answer: B) Thiazide Diuretics
5. A patient taking an ACE inhibitor (e.g., Lisinopril) presents with a
persistent, dry cough. The nurse recognizes this as:
A) An indication of worsening heart failure
B) A common, bothersome side effect of the drug class
C) A sign of angioedema, which is a medical emergency
D) An allergic reaction requiring immediate discontinuation
Answer: B) A common, bothersome side effect of the drug class
6. Which laboratory value is critical to monitor before and during
treatment with an ACE Inhibitor or ARB?
A) Liver Enzymes (AST/ALT)
B) Serum Creatinine and Potassium
C) White Blood Cell Count
D) Hemoglobin A1c
Answer: B) Serum Creatinine and Potassium
,7. The mechanism of action of Statins (HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors) is:
A) Binding bile acids in the intestine
B) Inhibiting the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis
C) Blocking absorption of dietary cholesterol
D) Enhancing the breakdown of LDL cholesterol
Answer: B) Inhibiting the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol
synthesis
8. A patient on Atorvastatin (Lipitor) reports new-onset muscle
aches and weakness. The nurse's priority action is to:
A) Advise the patient to take the medication with food
B) Instruct the patient to stop the medication immediately
C) Assess the patient and check a Creatine Kinase (CK) level
D) Reassure the patient that this is a common, transient side effect
Answer: C) Assess the patient and check a Creatine Kinase (CK)
level
9. Which antiplatelet drug is an irreversible inhibitor of
cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and is used for primary and secondary
prevention of cardiovascular events?
A) Clopidogrel (Plavix)
B) Aspirin
C) Ticagrelor (Brilinta)
D) Enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Answer: B) Aspirin
10. Warfarin (Coumadin) therapy is monitored using which
laboratory test?
A) aPTT
, B) International Normalized Ratio (INR)
C) Prothrombin Time (PT) only
D) Bleeding Time
Answer: B) International Normalized Ratio (INR)
Section 2: Endocrinology & Diabetes Management
11. The first-line pharmacologic agent for most patients with
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is:
A) Insulin Glargine
B) Metformin
C) Glipizide
D) Pioglitazone
Answer: B) Metformin
12. A major life-threatening adverse effect of Metformin that
the nurse must educate the patient about is:
A) Hypoglycemia
B) Lactic Acidosis
C) Hepatotoxicity
D) Pancreatitis
Answer: B) Lactic Acidosis
13. Which insulin has the fastest onset and shortest duration of
action, making it ideal for mealtime (prandial) coverage?
A) Insulin Glargine (Lantus)
B) Insulin Detemir (Levemir)
C) Regular Insulin
D) Insulin Lispro (Humalog)
Answer: D) Insulin Lispro (Humalog)
Pharmacotherapeutics Review | Qs & As |
Grade A | 100% Correct (Verified Answers)
– Southeastern Louisiana
Section 1: Foundational Principles & Cardiovascular
1. What is the primary goal of Phase I clinical trials?
A) To assess the drug's effectiveness in a large population
B) To determine the drug's safety and dosage in a small group of
healthy volunteers
C) To monitor long-term side effects after market approval
D) To compare the new drug to current standard treatments
Answer: B) To determine the drug's safety and dosage in a small
group of healthy volunteers
2. A patient's renal function declines. The nurse anticipates that the
dosage for a medication that is primarily renally excreted will
likely need to be:
A) Increased
B) Decreased
C) Stayed the same
D) Changed to a different route
Answer: B) Decreased
3. The "Therapeutic Index" (TI) of a drug is a measure of:
A) Its potency compared to other drugs
B) Its safety margin (ratio of toxic dose to effective dose)
, C) Its cost-effectiveness for treatment
D) The time it takes to reach peak plasma concentration
Answer: B) Its safety margin (ratio of toxic dose to effective dose)
4. Which class of antihypertensive drugs is often considered first-
line therapy, especially in African American patients?
A) ACE Inhibitors
B) Thiazide Diuretics
C) Beta-Blockers
D) Calcium Channel Blockers
Answer: B) Thiazide Diuretics
5. A patient taking an ACE inhibitor (e.g., Lisinopril) presents with a
persistent, dry cough. The nurse recognizes this as:
A) An indication of worsening heart failure
B) A common, bothersome side effect of the drug class
C) A sign of angioedema, which is a medical emergency
D) An allergic reaction requiring immediate discontinuation
Answer: B) A common, bothersome side effect of the drug class
6. Which laboratory value is critical to monitor before and during
treatment with an ACE Inhibitor or ARB?
A) Liver Enzymes (AST/ALT)
B) Serum Creatinine and Potassium
C) White Blood Cell Count
D) Hemoglobin A1c
Answer: B) Serum Creatinine and Potassium
,7. The mechanism of action of Statins (HMG-CoA reductase
inhibitors) is:
A) Binding bile acids in the intestine
B) Inhibiting the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis
C) Blocking absorption of dietary cholesterol
D) Enhancing the breakdown of LDL cholesterol
Answer: B) Inhibiting the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol
synthesis
8. A patient on Atorvastatin (Lipitor) reports new-onset muscle
aches and weakness. The nurse's priority action is to:
A) Advise the patient to take the medication with food
B) Instruct the patient to stop the medication immediately
C) Assess the patient and check a Creatine Kinase (CK) level
D) Reassure the patient that this is a common, transient side effect
Answer: C) Assess the patient and check a Creatine Kinase (CK)
level
9. Which antiplatelet drug is an irreversible inhibitor of
cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and is used for primary and secondary
prevention of cardiovascular events?
A) Clopidogrel (Plavix)
B) Aspirin
C) Ticagrelor (Brilinta)
D) Enoxaparin (Lovenox)
Answer: B) Aspirin
10. Warfarin (Coumadin) therapy is monitored using which
laboratory test?
A) aPTT
, B) International Normalized Ratio (INR)
C) Prothrombin Time (PT) only
D) Bleeding Time
Answer: B) International Normalized Ratio (INR)
Section 2: Endocrinology & Diabetes Management
11. The first-line pharmacologic agent for most patients with
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is:
A) Insulin Glargine
B) Metformin
C) Glipizide
D) Pioglitazone
Answer: B) Metformin
12. A major life-threatening adverse effect of Metformin that
the nurse must educate the patient about is:
A) Hypoglycemia
B) Lactic Acidosis
C) Hepatotoxicity
D) Pancreatitis
Answer: B) Lactic Acidosis
13. Which insulin has the fastest onset and shortest duration of
action, making it ideal for mealtime (prandial) coverage?
A) Insulin Glargine (Lantus)
B) Insulin Detemir (Levemir)
C) Regular Insulin
D) Insulin Lispro (Humalog)
Answer: D) Insulin Lispro (Humalog)
