NSG 533 Advanced Pharmacology Exam| Complete Review
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Questions and Verified Answers m m m m
m 100% Correct | Grade A+
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1. EP is a 38-year-
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old female patient that comes in for diabetes education and management. S
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he was diagnosed 12 years ago and states lately she is not able to control h
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
er diet although she continues a 1600 calorie diet with appropriate daily carb
m m m m m m m m m m m m
ohydrate intake (per dietitian prescription) and walks 40 minutes every day of
m m m m m m m m m m m
the week. She states compliance with all medications. She denies any histo
m m m m m m m m m m m m
ry of hypoglycemia despite being able to identify signs and symptoms and d
m m m m m m m m m m m m
escribe appropriate treatment strategies.
m m m
PMH T2DM, HTN, obesity, depression, s/p thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer
m m m m m m m m m m m
FmHx Noncontributorym
SHx ( m
) Smoking, alcohol use, past marijuana use while in high school Me
m m m m m m m m m m m
dications Metformin 850 mg tid, glipizide 20 mg bid, lisinopril 20 mg daily, ser
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
traline 100 mg daily, multivitamin daily
m m m m m
,Vitals BP 128/82 mg Hg; P 72 beats/min; BMI 31 m/kg2
m m m m m m m m m m
Laboratory test results Na 134 mEq/L, K 5.4 mEq/L, Cl 106 mEq/L, BUN-
m m m m m m m m m m m m
Answer Exenatide - m m
m Exenatide (Bydureon) once weekly has been able to demonstrate weight loss
m m m m m m m m m m m
and decrease A1C% by 0.7% to 1.2% in clinical trials; however it is contraindic
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
ated for EP due to the self-reported history of thyroid cancer.
m m m m m m m m m m
Dapagliflozin - Dapagliflozin (Farxiga) is contraindicated in this patient due to hy-
m m m m m m m m m m m
m perkalemia which could be made worse by this drug. The package insert does not
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
dicate a specific potassium concentration cut off to no longer use this medication; h
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
wever, there are better choices in this patient.
m m m m m m m
Sitagliptin - m
m Sitagliptin (Januvia) is able to obtain an A1C goal of less than 7% based on clinica
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
l trials and currently the patient does not have any cautionary objective measures
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
o not use this medication. DPP-IV inhibitors are weight neutral. DPP-
m m m m m m m m m m
IV inhibitors can be used in patients taking sulfonylureas; however, it may be reco
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
mmended to reduce or stop the sulfonylurea dose.
m m m m m m m
Acarbose - m
m Acarbose (Precose) is not recommended for initial management and is associat
m m m m m m m m m m
,ed with significant GI side effects. More information would be needed regarding f
m m m m m m m m m m m m
asting and post- m m
prandial numbers. In addition, adding acarbose would only lower A1c by 0.8% at
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
best and therefore would not achieve the desired A1C goal of <7%
m m m m m m m m m m m
2. JR is a 68-year-
m m m
old African American man with a new diagnosis of T2DM. He was classified as
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
having prediabetes (at risk for developing diabetes) 5 years before the diagn
m m m m m m m m m m m m
osis and has a strong family history of type 2 diabetes. JR's blood pressure
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
was 150/92 mm Hg. His laboratory results revealed an A1C of 8.1%, normal c
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
holesterol panel, and normal renal/hepatic function were noted with today's l
m m m m m m m m m m
aboratory test results. m m
Past medical history Hypertension (diagnosed 4 y ago) Hyperlipidemia (diag-
m m m m m m m m m
nosed 2 y ago) Pancreatitis (idiopathic) (acute hospitalization 3 y ago)
m m m m m m m m m m m
, Family history Type 2 diabetes m m m m
Medication HCTZ 25 mg daily, simvastatin 10 mg daily Aller m m m m m m m m m
gies SMZ/TMP m
Vitals BP 150/92 mm Hg P 78 beats/min RR 12 rpm Waist Circumference 46 in
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
Weight 267 lb Height 5 2 6 3 BMI 43.1 kg/m 2
m m m m m m m m m m m
Despite improvements in the past six weeks due to lifestyle changes and e
m m m m m m m m m m m m
xercise, drug therapy is to be started for JR's diabet
m m m m m m m m m
Answer Metformin is the drug of choice recommended for most patients with dia
m m m m m m m m m m m m
betes in addition to lifestyle modifications assuming no contraindications or intol
m m m m m m m m m m
erabilities are present upon m m m
evaluation. Metformin has also shown to provide positive weight neutral/loss effects
m m m m m m m m m m
in obese patients. It is crucial to know the renal status of patients commencing met
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
formin therapy to limit the risk of lactic acidosis (JR is without contraindication). Sin
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
ce his entry A1C is >7.5%, dual therapy is indicated. There are several potential ch
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
oices. The second step can be a dipeptidyl peptidase-
m m m m m m m m
4 inhibitor, it can be a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-
m m m m m m m m
1) receptor agonist, it can be a TZD, it can be a sulfonylurea agent, it can be a SGL
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
T2 inhibitor, or it could be basal insulin. Anything next can be tried depending on wh
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
m m m m m m m
Questions and Verified Answers m m m m
m 100% Correct | Grade A+
m m m m
1. EP is a 38-year-
m m m
old female patient that comes in for diabetes education and management. S
m m m m m m m m m m m
he was diagnosed 12 years ago and states lately she is not able to control h
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
er diet although she continues a 1600 calorie diet with appropriate daily carb
m m m m m m m m m m m m
ohydrate intake (per dietitian prescription) and walks 40 minutes every day of
m m m m m m m m m m m
the week. She states compliance with all medications. She denies any histo
m m m m m m m m m m m m
ry of hypoglycemia despite being able to identify signs and symptoms and d
m m m m m m m m m m m m
escribe appropriate treatment strategies.
m m m
PMH T2DM, HTN, obesity, depression, s/p thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer
m m m m m m m m m m m
FmHx Noncontributorym
SHx ( m
) Smoking, alcohol use, past marijuana use while in high school Me
m m m m m m m m m m m
dications Metformin 850 mg tid, glipizide 20 mg bid, lisinopril 20 mg daily, ser
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
traline 100 mg daily, multivitamin daily
m m m m m
,Vitals BP 128/82 mg Hg; P 72 beats/min; BMI 31 m/kg2
m m m m m m m m m m
Laboratory test results Na 134 mEq/L, K 5.4 mEq/L, Cl 106 mEq/L, BUN-
m m m m m m m m m m m m
Answer Exenatide - m m
m Exenatide (Bydureon) once weekly has been able to demonstrate weight loss
m m m m m m m m m m m
and decrease A1C% by 0.7% to 1.2% in clinical trials; however it is contraindic
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
ated for EP due to the self-reported history of thyroid cancer.
m m m m m m m m m m
Dapagliflozin - Dapagliflozin (Farxiga) is contraindicated in this patient due to hy-
m m m m m m m m m m m
m perkalemia which could be made worse by this drug. The package insert does not
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
dicate a specific potassium concentration cut off to no longer use this medication; h
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
wever, there are better choices in this patient.
m m m m m m m
Sitagliptin - m
m Sitagliptin (Januvia) is able to obtain an A1C goal of less than 7% based on clinica
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
l trials and currently the patient does not have any cautionary objective measures
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
o not use this medication. DPP-IV inhibitors are weight neutral. DPP-
m m m m m m m m m m
IV inhibitors can be used in patients taking sulfonylureas; however, it may be reco
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
mmended to reduce or stop the sulfonylurea dose.
m m m m m m m
Acarbose - m
m Acarbose (Precose) is not recommended for initial management and is associat
m m m m m m m m m m
,ed with significant GI side effects. More information would be needed regarding f
m m m m m m m m m m m m
asting and post- m m
prandial numbers. In addition, adding acarbose would only lower A1c by 0.8% at
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
best and therefore would not achieve the desired A1C goal of <7%
m m m m m m m m m m m
2. JR is a 68-year-
m m m
old African American man with a new diagnosis of T2DM. He was classified as
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
having prediabetes (at risk for developing diabetes) 5 years before the diagn
m m m m m m m m m m m m
osis and has a strong family history of type 2 diabetes. JR's blood pressure
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
was 150/92 mm Hg. His laboratory results revealed an A1C of 8.1%, normal c
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
holesterol panel, and normal renal/hepatic function were noted with today's l
m m m m m m m m m m
aboratory test results. m m
Past medical history Hypertension (diagnosed 4 y ago) Hyperlipidemia (diag-
m m m m m m m m m
nosed 2 y ago) Pancreatitis (idiopathic) (acute hospitalization 3 y ago)
m m m m m m m m m m m
, Family history Type 2 diabetes m m m m
Medication HCTZ 25 mg daily, simvastatin 10 mg daily Aller m m m m m m m m m
gies SMZ/TMP m
Vitals BP 150/92 mm Hg P 78 beats/min RR 12 rpm Waist Circumference 46 in
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
Weight 267 lb Height 5 2 6 3 BMI 43.1 kg/m 2
m m m m m m m m m m m
Despite improvements in the past six weeks due to lifestyle changes and e
m m m m m m m m m m m m
xercise, drug therapy is to be started for JR's diabet
m m m m m m m m m
Answer Metformin is the drug of choice recommended for most patients with dia
m m m m m m m m m m m m
betes in addition to lifestyle modifications assuming no contraindications or intol
m m m m m m m m m m
erabilities are present upon m m m
evaluation. Metformin has also shown to provide positive weight neutral/loss effects
m m m m m m m m m m
in obese patients. It is crucial to know the renal status of patients commencing met
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
formin therapy to limit the risk of lactic acidosis (JR is without contraindication). Sin
m m m m m m m m m m m m m
ce his entry A1C is >7.5%, dual therapy is indicated. There are several potential ch
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
oices. The second step can be a dipeptidyl peptidase-
m m m m m m m m
4 inhibitor, it can be a glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-
m m m m m m m m
1) receptor agonist, it can be a TZD, it can be a sulfonylurea agent, it can be a SGL
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m
T2 inhibitor, or it could be basal insulin. Anything next can be tried depending on wh
m m m m m m m m m m m m m m m