COMLEX LEVEL 1 EXAM STUDY GUIDE 2026
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ angiodysplasia . Answer: most common cause of lower GI bleeding
in pt's >60
◉ superior mesenteric artery . Answer: supplies the lower portion of
the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, ascending colon, and transverse
colon to the splenic flexure
◉ pancreatic cancer . Answer: -usually arises in the *head* of the
pancreas
-is associated with *jaundice and pain* due to obstruction of the
common bile duct
- it is the *4th* most common cause of cancer
-has a very poor prognosis
◉ 1. Calcium channel blockers--> specifically smooth muscle
antagonists--> SM dilation
2. Alpha adrenergic receptor blockers --> cause dilation of vessels
instead of constriction
,3. Beta 2 agonists: causes dilation of smooth muscle vessels . Answer:
Patients with GERD normally have a dysfunction with LES sphincter
tone that allows acid to reflux into the esophagus, thus drugs that affect
sphincter tone would make GERD worse. What are the name of three
drug categories that do this?
◉ celiac disease . Answer: malabsorption syndrome caused by an
immune reaction to gliadian protein in gluten
-Tissue transglutaminase
-results in villous atrophy of small intestine mucosa and causes
steatorrhea, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain
-*also associated with other autoimmune disorders like hashimotos
thyroiditis*
◉ make NPO, Place on an NG tube and suction obstruction out--> this
will usually resolve obstruction . Answer: after a patient comes to the
ER with sudden onset of pain and abdominal distention W/O peritoneal
signs and after x-ray you diagnose her with a small bowel obstruction.
What do you do next?
◉ Low total calcium due to low albumin levels from cirrhosis (95% of
Ca2+ is bound to albumin) and normal ionized Ca2+ because PTH
regulates free ionized Ca2+ independently--> that is why there are no
signs go hypocalcemia . Answer: In a patient with liver cirrhosis what
calcium levels would you expect to see?
,Would there be signs of hypocalcemia--> tetany, paresthesias, abdominal
cramps?
◉ T5-T11 . Answer: where would you find a viserosomatic reflex
resulting in placatory changes of the pancreas?
◉ Deferoxamine (Desferal) . Answer: iron chelating agent used in the
treatment of iron intoxication
◉ short leg syndrome . Answer: when a patient presents with a flexible
scoliotic curve it is important to evaluate for...
◉ inferior trunk--> encompasses broadmann areas 22,39,40 which are in
the temporal region . Answer: Infarct to what trunk of the Left MCA
results in Wernicke's aphasia?
◉ Superior division--> encompasses brooks area, frontal eye field,
primary motor cortex and primary somatosensory cortex . Answer:
Infarct to what trunk of the Left MCA results in Broca's aphasia?
◉ Osteosarcoma . Answer: bone tumor that is present in young adult
males that involves the metaphysis of the long bones
, ◉ Ewing's sarcoma t(11;22) . Answer: bone tumor that is present in
young adult males that involves the *diaphysis(mid-shaft)* of the long
bones.
◉ fibrosarcoma . Answer: malignant fibroblasts within a collagenous
matrix
◉ chondrosarcoma . Answer: osseous sarcomas that affect older
patients and has a predilection for flat bones in the *shoulders and
pelvis*
◉ tyrosine, due to a defect in phenylalanine hydroxylase . Answer:
PKU presents as failure to thrive, mental retardation, gapped teeth, etc.
What is the amino acid that needs to be supplemented due to a defect in
what enzyme?
◉ Rib 2 . Answer: where does the posterior scalene attach to?
◉ Paclitaxel . Answer: used in the treatment of breast and ovarian
cancer
MOA: hyper stabilization of polymerized microtubules--> prevents the
breakdown of the mitotic spindle
◉ restrictive barrier . Answer: maximum distance a patient can actually
move a joint, can be pathologic
PRACTICE QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ angiodysplasia . Answer: most common cause of lower GI bleeding
in pt's >60
◉ superior mesenteric artery . Answer: supplies the lower portion of
the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, cecum, ascending colon, and transverse
colon to the splenic flexure
◉ pancreatic cancer . Answer: -usually arises in the *head* of the
pancreas
-is associated with *jaundice and pain* due to obstruction of the
common bile duct
- it is the *4th* most common cause of cancer
-has a very poor prognosis
◉ 1. Calcium channel blockers--> specifically smooth muscle
antagonists--> SM dilation
2. Alpha adrenergic receptor blockers --> cause dilation of vessels
instead of constriction
,3. Beta 2 agonists: causes dilation of smooth muscle vessels . Answer:
Patients with GERD normally have a dysfunction with LES sphincter
tone that allows acid to reflux into the esophagus, thus drugs that affect
sphincter tone would make GERD worse. What are the name of three
drug categories that do this?
◉ celiac disease . Answer: malabsorption syndrome caused by an
immune reaction to gliadian protein in gluten
-Tissue transglutaminase
-results in villous atrophy of small intestine mucosa and causes
steatorrhea, diarrhea, bloating and abdominal pain
-*also associated with other autoimmune disorders like hashimotos
thyroiditis*
◉ make NPO, Place on an NG tube and suction obstruction out--> this
will usually resolve obstruction . Answer: after a patient comes to the
ER with sudden onset of pain and abdominal distention W/O peritoneal
signs and after x-ray you diagnose her with a small bowel obstruction.
What do you do next?
◉ Low total calcium due to low albumin levels from cirrhosis (95% of
Ca2+ is bound to albumin) and normal ionized Ca2+ because PTH
regulates free ionized Ca2+ independently--> that is why there are no
signs go hypocalcemia . Answer: In a patient with liver cirrhosis what
calcium levels would you expect to see?
,Would there be signs of hypocalcemia--> tetany, paresthesias, abdominal
cramps?
◉ T5-T11 . Answer: where would you find a viserosomatic reflex
resulting in placatory changes of the pancreas?
◉ Deferoxamine (Desferal) . Answer: iron chelating agent used in the
treatment of iron intoxication
◉ short leg syndrome . Answer: when a patient presents with a flexible
scoliotic curve it is important to evaluate for...
◉ inferior trunk--> encompasses broadmann areas 22,39,40 which are in
the temporal region . Answer: Infarct to what trunk of the Left MCA
results in Wernicke's aphasia?
◉ Superior division--> encompasses brooks area, frontal eye field,
primary motor cortex and primary somatosensory cortex . Answer:
Infarct to what trunk of the Left MCA results in Broca's aphasia?
◉ Osteosarcoma . Answer: bone tumor that is present in young adult
males that involves the metaphysis of the long bones
, ◉ Ewing's sarcoma t(11;22) . Answer: bone tumor that is present in
young adult males that involves the *diaphysis(mid-shaft)* of the long
bones.
◉ fibrosarcoma . Answer: malignant fibroblasts within a collagenous
matrix
◉ chondrosarcoma . Answer: osseous sarcomas that affect older
patients and has a predilection for flat bones in the *shoulders and
pelvis*
◉ tyrosine, due to a defect in phenylalanine hydroxylase . Answer:
PKU presents as failure to thrive, mental retardation, gapped teeth, etc.
What is the amino acid that needs to be supplemented due to a defect in
what enzyme?
◉ Rib 2 . Answer: where does the posterior scalene attach to?
◉ Paclitaxel . Answer: used in the treatment of breast and ovarian
cancer
MOA: hyper stabilization of polymerized microtubules--> prevents the
breakdown of the mitotic spindle
◉ restrictive barrier . Answer: maximum distance a patient can actually
move a joint, can be pathologic
