WGU D027 EXAM SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ What is the most common method of diagnosing COPD? Answer: -
Spirometry/pulmonary function test (PFT) which measures lung
function and capacity
◉ What is usually the first line of treatment for patients with COPD?
Answer: - Short-acting bronchodilators (on a regular basis is not
generally recommended)
◉ What do bronchodilators do? Answer: - Medications that increase
FEV1 and/or change other spirometrics variables
- In COPD patients, used to prevent or reduce symptoms
◉ What are some pharmacological treatments for COPD patients?
Answer: - Beta2-agonists
- Inhaled or oral steroids
- Antimuscarinic drugs
- Combination inhalers
◉ What are beta2-agonists? Answer: - Type of bronchodilator
,- Relaxes airway smooth muscles by stimulating beta2-adrenergic
receptors, which increases cyclic AMP and produces functional
antagonism to bronchoconstriction
- Both short-acting (SABA) and long-acting (LABA)
◉ What are some long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: -
Formoterol and salmeterol - twice daily that significantly improves
FEV1 and lung volumes, dyspnea, health status, exacerbation rate,
and number of hospitalizations; but have no effect on mortality or
rate of decline of lung function
- Indacaterol - once daily that improves breathlessness, health
status, and exacerbation rate
- Oladaterol and vilanterol - once daily to improve lung function and
symptoms
◉ What are some side effects of beta2-adrenergic receptors?
Answer: - Sinus tachycardia and has the potential to precipitate
cardiac rhythm disturbances
- Exaggerated somatic tremor
◉ How do antimuscarinic drugs help COPD patients with their
symptoms? Answer: - Block the bronchoconstrictor effects of
acetylcholine on M3 muscarinic receptors expressed in airway
smooth muscle
,◉ What is some short-acting antimuscarinic (SAMA)? Answer: -
Ipratropium (provided small benefits of SABA in terms of lung
function, health status, and requirement for oral steroids)
- Oxitropium
◉ What is some long-acting antimuscarinic (LAMA)? Answer: -
Tiotropium
- Aclidinium
- Glycopyrronium bromide
- Umeclidium
- Greater exacerbation rates for LAMA vs LABA
◉ What is the purpose of using combination bronchodilator therapy
for patients with COPD? Answer: - Combining bronchodilators with
different mechanisms and durations of action may increase the
degree of bronchodilation with a lower risk of side-effects in
comparison to increasing the dose of a single bronchodilator
- Combinations of SABAs and SAMAs are superior compared to
either medication alone in improving FEV1 and symptoms
◉ When would you consider using inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and
long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: - Moderate to very
severe COPD exacerbations
- More effective in improving lung function, health status, and
reducing exacerbations
, ◉ What treatment is recommended if a patient has failed long-acting
beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: - Albuterol?
◉ What is asthma? Answer: - Condition in which your airways
narrow and swell; may produce extra mucus
- Can make breathing difficult, trigger coughing, wheezing, and
shortness of breath
- Trigger causes mucus to clog the bronchial tubes
- Reversible
◉ What is the treatment for asthma? Answer: - Beta-agonists,
steroids
- Glucocorticoids (foundation)
- Bronchodilators
- Anti-inflammatory
◉ What are some long-term inhaled corticosteroids used for
patients with asthma? Answer: - Fluticasone (Flovent HFA)
- Budesonide (Pulmicort flexhaler)
- Mometasone (Asmanex twisthaler)
- Beclomethasone (Qvar Redihaler)
- Ciclesonide (Alvesco)
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
◉ What is the most common method of diagnosing COPD? Answer: -
Spirometry/pulmonary function test (PFT) which measures lung
function and capacity
◉ What is usually the first line of treatment for patients with COPD?
Answer: - Short-acting bronchodilators (on a regular basis is not
generally recommended)
◉ What do bronchodilators do? Answer: - Medications that increase
FEV1 and/or change other spirometrics variables
- In COPD patients, used to prevent or reduce symptoms
◉ What are some pharmacological treatments for COPD patients?
Answer: - Beta2-agonists
- Inhaled or oral steroids
- Antimuscarinic drugs
- Combination inhalers
◉ What are beta2-agonists? Answer: - Type of bronchodilator
,- Relaxes airway smooth muscles by stimulating beta2-adrenergic
receptors, which increases cyclic AMP and produces functional
antagonism to bronchoconstriction
- Both short-acting (SABA) and long-acting (LABA)
◉ What are some long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: -
Formoterol and salmeterol - twice daily that significantly improves
FEV1 and lung volumes, dyspnea, health status, exacerbation rate,
and number of hospitalizations; but have no effect on mortality or
rate of decline of lung function
- Indacaterol - once daily that improves breathlessness, health
status, and exacerbation rate
- Oladaterol and vilanterol - once daily to improve lung function and
symptoms
◉ What are some side effects of beta2-adrenergic receptors?
Answer: - Sinus tachycardia and has the potential to precipitate
cardiac rhythm disturbances
- Exaggerated somatic tremor
◉ How do antimuscarinic drugs help COPD patients with their
symptoms? Answer: - Block the bronchoconstrictor effects of
acetylcholine on M3 muscarinic receptors expressed in airway
smooth muscle
,◉ What is some short-acting antimuscarinic (SAMA)? Answer: -
Ipratropium (provided small benefits of SABA in terms of lung
function, health status, and requirement for oral steroids)
- Oxitropium
◉ What is some long-acting antimuscarinic (LAMA)? Answer: -
Tiotropium
- Aclidinium
- Glycopyrronium bromide
- Umeclidium
- Greater exacerbation rates for LAMA vs LABA
◉ What is the purpose of using combination bronchodilator therapy
for patients with COPD? Answer: - Combining bronchodilators with
different mechanisms and durations of action may increase the
degree of bronchodilation with a lower risk of side-effects in
comparison to increasing the dose of a single bronchodilator
- Combinations of SABAs and SAMAs are superior compared to
either medication alone in improving FEV1 and symptoms
◉ When would you consider using inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and
long-acting beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: - Moderate to very
severe COPD exacerbations
- More effective in improving lung function, health status, and
reducing exacerbations
, ◉ What treatment is recommended if a patient has failed long-acting
beta2-agonists (LABA)? Answer: - Albuterol?
◉ What is asthma? Answer: - Condition in which your airways
narrow and swell; may produce extra mucus
- Can make breathing difficult, trigger coughing, wheezing, and
shortness of breath
- Trigger causes mucus to clog the bronchial tubes
- Reversible
◉ What is the treatment for asthma? Answer: - Beta-agonists,
steroids
- Glucocorticoids (foundation)
- Bronchodilators
- Anti-inflammatory
◉ What are some long-term inhaled corticosteroids used for
patients with asthma? Answer: - Fluticasone (Flovent HFA)
- Budesonide (Pulmicort flexhaler)
- Mometasone (Asmanex twisthaler)
- Beclomethasone (Qvar Redihaler)
- Ciclesonide (Alvesco)
