COMLEX LEVEL 1 COMBANK CARDS.
NEWEST 2026-2027. QUESTIONS &
CORRECT ANSWERS. GRADED A
A key feature of Crohn's disease is noncaseating granulomas, but what is
the key characteristic defining a granuloma? - ANSEpithelioid histiocytes
After discontinuing the use of a MAOi, what should you NOT do? - ANSYou
should not take a TCA or anything that could increase catecholamine
neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepi, and epi because it could lead to
hypertensive crisis. Typical washout period after taking an MAOi and
before you can take another serotonin increasing drug is about 2 weeks.
Antisocial Personality Disorder - ANSAntisocial personality disorder is
incorrect because the patient is less than 18 years old. People with
antisocial personality disorder are also known by the name "sociopath"
these people lack empathy and have a disregard for social norms.
Damage to the tibial nerve causes what? - ANSLoss of plantar flexion and
loss of inversion of the foot
Define Conduct disorder - ANSCD fall into four main categories: (1)
aggression toward people and animals; (2) destruction of property without
1
,aggression toward people or animals; (3) deceitfulness, lying, and theft;
and (4) serious violations of rules.
violate the basic rights of others or societal norms
After age 18 could be defined as antisocial
Describe the mechanism behind an acute somatic dysfunction? - ANSIn an
acute somatic dysfunction sympathetic activity is increased systemically but
locally there is bradykinins released causing a local vasodilation. Muscle
tone is increased locally via the muscle spindle and tissues are boggy due
to vascular leakage. Vessel injury occurs with an acute somatic dysfunction
with resultant release of endogenous peptides with inflammation and
edema occurring.
Describe the rule of threes - ANSAt T1-T3, the transverse process is at the
same level as the spinous process. At T4-T6, the transverse process is
halfway between the same level's spinous process and the spinous
process of the level above. At T7-T9, the transverse process is at the same
level of the spinous process of the segment above. T10 follows the same
rule as T7-T9. T11 follows the same rule as T4-T6, and T12 follows the
same rule as T1-T3.
Draw out the sensitivity/specificity table calculation - ANSPPV: positive
predictive value
NPV: Negative predictive value
TP: True Positive
2
,FP: False Positive
TN: True Negative
FN: False Negative
Sensitivity: ability to detect the disease. High sensitivity means most people
have the disease test positive for it.
Specificity: tests ability to detect the absence of the disease. High
specificity means most people without the disease will test negative.
PPV: probability of positive test being true positive is great
NPV: probability of negative test result being true negative is great
How can mitral stenosis be seen on EKG? - ANSCOMBANK ANSWER:
Mitral stenosis can lead to left atrial enlargement due to increasing left atrial
pressure, which can manifest on electrocardiogram as notched P-waves in
the limb leads and/or biphasic P-wave in V1.
Great Explanation: https://lifeinthefastlane.com/ecg-library/basics/p-wave/
How can you calculate the half life of a medication that is following first-
order mechanics (First order kinetics occur when a constant proportion of
the drug is eliminated per unit time) (95% of drugs being used at
therapeutic conc.)? - ANST1/2 = 0.693 * Vd/CL
Vd= volume of distribution of the drug in liters
CL= clearances in liters per hour
3
, How do you define preeclampsia? How do you treat it? - ANSPreeclampsia
is defined as hypertension, proteinuria, and edema. It is only found in
pregnant patients. Generally these patients have end organ damage.
Tx: is IV magnesium sulfate to prevent progression to eclampsia followed
by immediate delivery if the fetus is greater than 34 weeks gestation.
How do you treat pseudomembranous colitis? Why isn't one of the drugs
used IV? What can it be used for in intravenous form? - ANSTx:
metronidazole or oral vancomycin.
Oral vancomycin is not absorbed in the gut. This fine though because C.
diff is an infection of the gut.
IV vancomycin is for systemic infections and has a special use for gram-
positive bacteria. It is directed at Methycillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
How does vaginitis present (men/women)? What are some key features of
the infecting organism? Transmission? Tx? Often confused with the
organism...? - ANSFemale: typically present with green, frothy copious
discharge. There is a very prominent foul, rancid odor, itching, burning
Male: Asymptomatic
Characteristic: Strawberry cervix
Transmission: Sexual transmission
4
NEWEST 2026-2027. QUESTIONS &
CORRECT ANSWERS. GRADED A
A key feature of Crohn's disease is noncaseating granulomas, but what is
the key characteristic defining a granuloma? - ANSEpithelioid histiocytes
After discontinuing the use of a MAOi, what should you NOT do? - ANSYou
should not take a TCA or anything that could increase catecholamine
neurotransmitters like dopamine, norepi, and epi because it could lead to
hypertensive crisis. Typical washout period after taking an MAOi and
before you can take another serotonin increasing drug is about 2 weeks.
Antisocial Personality Disorder - ANSAntisocial personality disorder is
incorrect because the patient is less than 18 years old. People with
antisocial personality disorder are also known by the name "sociopath"
these people lack empathy and have a disregard for social norms.
Damage to the tibial nerve causes what? - ANSLoss of plantar flexion and
loss of inversion of the foot
Define Conduct disorder - ANSCD fall into four main categories: (1)
aggression toward people and animals; (2) destruction of property without
1
,aggression toward people or animals; (3) deceitfulness, lying, and theft;
and (4) serious violations of rules.
violate the basic rights of others or societal norms
After age 18 could be defined as antisocial
Describe the mechanism behind an acute somatic dysfunction? - ANSIn an
acute somatic dysfunction sympathetic activity is increased systemically but
locally there is bradykinins released causing a local vasodilation. Muscle
tone is increased locally via the muscle spindle and tissues are boggy due
to vascular leakage. Vessel injury occurs with an acute somatic dysfunction
with resultant release of endogenous peptides with inflammation and
edema occurring.
Describe the rule of threes - ANSAt T1-T3, the transverse process is at the
same level as the spinous process. At T4-T6, the transverse process is
halfway between the same level's spinous process and the spinous
process of the level above. At T7-T9, the transverse process is at the same
level of the spinous process of the segment above. T10 follows the same
rule as T7-T9. T11 follows the same rule as T4-T6, and T12 follows the
same rule as T1-T3.
Draw out the sensitivity/specificity table calculation - ANSPPV: positive
predictive value
NPV: Negative predictive value
TP: True Positive
2
,FP: False Positive
TN: True Negative
FN: False Negative
Sensitivity: ability to detect the disease. High sensitivity means most people
have the disease test positive for it.
Specificity: tests ability to detect the absence of the disease. High
specificity means most people without the disease will test negative.
PPV: probability of positive test being true positive is great
NPV: probability of negative test result being true negative is great
How can mitral stenosis be seen on EKG? - ANSCOMBANK ANSWER:
Mitral stenosis can lead to left atrial enlargement due to increasing left atrial
pressure, which can manifest on electrocardiogram as notched P-waves in
the limb leads and/or biphasic P-wave in V1.
Great Explanation: https://lifeinthefastlane.com/ecg-library/basics/p-wave/
How can you calculate the half life of a medication that is following first-
order mechanics (First order kinetics occur when a constant proportion of
the drug is eliminated per unit time) (95% of drugs being used at
therapeutic conc.)? - ANST1/2 = 0.693 * Vd/CL
Vd= volume of distribution of the drug in liters
CL= clearances in liters per hour
3
, How do you define preeclampsia? How do you treat it? - ANSPreeclampsia
is defined as hypertension, proteinuria, and edema. It is only found in
pregnant patients. Generally these patients have end organ damage.
Tx: is IV magnesium sulfate to prevent progression to eclampsia followed
by immediate delivery if the fetus is greater than 34 weeks gestation.
How do you treat pseudomembranous colitis? Why isn't one of the drugs
used IV? What can it be used for in intravenous form? - ANSTx:
metronidazole or oral vancomycin.
Oral vancomycin is not absorbed in the gut. This fine though because C.
diff is an infection of the gut.
IV vancomycin is for systemic infections and has a special use for gram-
positive bacteria. It is directed at Methycillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA)
How does vaginitis present (men/women)? What are some key features of
the infecting organism? Transmission? Tx? Often confused with the
organism...? - ANSFemale: typically present with green, frothy copious
discharge. There is a very prominent foul, rancid odor, itching, burning
Male: Asymptomatic
Characteristic: Strawberry cervix
Transmission: Sexual transmission
4
