NURS 660 PSYCHOPHARM EXAM 1 LATEST MARYVILLE
UNIVERSITY COMPLETE 200 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY GRADED
A+
Question 1
Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with mood, sleep, appetite,
and impulse control, and is a key target for many antidepressant
medications?
A) Dopamine
B) Norepinephrine
C) Serotonin
D) Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
E) Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: C) Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) plays a crucial role in regulating mood,
sleep, appetite, and impulse control. Dysregulation of serotonin is
implicated in depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders,
making it a primary target for many psychotropic medications,
particularly SSRIs.
Question 2
Pharmacodynamics refers to:
A) How the body handles a drug (absorption, distribution, metabolism,
excretion).
B) The study of genetic factors influencing drug response.
C) What the drug does to the body (mechanisms of action, therapeutic
effects, side effects).
D) The toxic effects of drugs on the liver.
E) The rate at which a drug is eliminated from the bloodstream.
Correct Answer: C) What the drug does to the body (mechanisms of
action, therapeutic effects, side effects).
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes the effects of a drug on the
body, including its molecular mechanisms of action, therapeutic
,outcomes, and adverse reactions. Pharmacokinetics (A) describes
how the body handles the drug.
Question 3
A patient on a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) reports feeling
irritable, restless, and having difficulty sleeping. These symptoms could be
indicative of:
A) Hypertensive crisis.
B) Serotonin syndrome.
C) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
D) Anticholinergic toxicity.
E) Extrapyramidal symptoms.
Correct Answer: B) Serotonin syndrome.
Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening
condition caused by excessive serotonergic activity. Symptoms can
range from mild (agitation, restlessness, insomnia, tremor) to
severe (hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability).
Irritability, restlessness, and insomnia are early signs.
Question 4
Which of the following is a common side effect of SSRIs, particularly early in
treatment?
A) Weight gain.
B) Dry mouth.
C) Sexual dysfunction.
D) Orthostatic hypotension.
E) Constipation.
Correct Answer: C) Sexual dysfunction.
Rationale: Sexual dysfunction (decreased libido, anorgasmia,
ejaculatory delay) is a very common and often bothersome side
effect of SSRIs, affecting a significant percentage of patients and
,often leading to medication non-adherence. While other options can
occur, sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent with SSRIs.
Question 5
Before initiating an antidepressant, it is crucial for the Nurse Practitioner to
assess for a history of which condition due to the risk of inducing mood
shifts?
A) Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
B) Panic Disorder.
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
D) Bipolar Disorder.
E) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Correct Answer: D) Bipolar Disorder.
Rationale: Antidepressants can precipitate a manic or hypomanic
episode in individuals with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Therefore,
a thorough screening for bipolar symptoms is essential before
initiating antidepressant monotherapy.
Question 6
The primary mechanism of action for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
(SSRIs) is:
A) Blocking dopamine receptors.
B) Inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic cleft.
C) Inhibiting monoamine oxidase enzymes.
D) Blocking norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake.
E) Enhancing GABAergic activity.
Correct Answer: B) Inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic
cleft.
Rationale: SSRIs selectively block the reuptake of serotonin by the
presynaptic neuron, leading to increased serotonin concentrations
in the synaptic cleft and enhanced serotonergic neurotransmission.
, Question 7
A patient receiving venlafaxine (an SNRI) reports a sustained increase in
blood pressure. This is a known dose-dependent side effect of:
A) Serotonin reuptake inhibition.
B) Dopamine receptor blockade.
C) Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.
D) Histamine blockade.
E) Cholinergic blockade.
Correct Answer: C) Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.
Rationale: Venlafaxine, particularly at higher doses, inhibits
norepinephrine reuptake. Increased norepinephrine activity can
lead to elevated blood pressure and heart rate, making blood
pressure monitoring important for patients on SNRIs.
Question 8
Which class of antidepressants requires strict dietary restrictions (avoiding
tyramine-rich foods) to prevent hypertensive crisis?
A) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).
B) Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs).
C) Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs).
D) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs).
E) Atypical Antidepressants (e.g., bupropion).
Correct Answer: D) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs).
Rationale: MAOIs inhibit the enzyme that metabolizes tyramine.
Ingesting tyramine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheeses, cured meats, red
wine) can lead to a dangerous buildup of tyramine, causing a
hypertensive crisis.
Question 9
A common reason for discontinuing tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) is their
significant anticholinergic side effects, which include:
A) Diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
UNIVERSITY COMPLETE 200 QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES|ALREADY GRADED
A+
Question 1
Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with mood, sleep, appetite,
and impulse control, and is a key target for many antidepressant
medications?
A) Dopamine
B) Norepinephrine
C) Serotonin
D) Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
E) Acetylcholine
Correct Answer: C) Serotonin
Rationale: Serotonin (5-HT) plays a crucial role in regulating mood,
sleep, appetite, and impulse control. Dysregulation of serotonin is
implicated in depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders,
making it a primary target for many psychotropic medications,
particularly SSRIs.
Question 2
Pharmacodynamics refers to:
A) How the body handles a drug (absorption, distribution, metabolism,
excretion).
B) The study of genetic factors influencing drug response.
C) What the drug does to the body (mechanisms of action, therapeutic
effects, side effects).
D) The toxic effects of drugs on the liver.
E) The rate at which a drug is eliminated from the bloodstream.
Correct Answer: C) What the drug does to the body (mechanisms of
action, therapeutic effects, side effects).
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes the effects of a drug on the
body, including its molecular mechanisms of action, therapeutic
,outcomes, and adverse reactions. Pharmacokinetics (A) describes
how the body handles the drug.
Question 3
A patient on a Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) reports feeling
irritable, restless, and having difficulty sleeping. These symptoms could be
indicative of:
A) Hypertensive crisis.
B) Serotonin syndrome.
C) Neuroleptic malignant syndrome.
D) Anticholinergic toxicity.
E) Extrapyramidal symptoms.
Correct Answer: B) Serotonin syndrome.
Rationale: Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening
condition caused by excessive serotonergic activity. Symptoms can
range from mild (agitation, restlessness, insomnia, tremor) to
severe (hyperthermia, muscle rigidity, autonomic instability).
Irritability, restlessness, and insomnia are early signs.
Question 4
Which of the following is a common side effect of SSRIs, particularly early in
treatment?
A) Weight gain.
B) Dry mouth.
C) Sexual dysfunction.
D) Orthostatic hypotension.
E) Constipation.
Correct Answer: C) Sexual dysfunction.
Rationale: Sexual dysfunction (decreased libido, anorgasmia,
ejaculatory delay) is a very common and often bothersome side
effect of SSRIs, affecting a significant percentage of patients and
,often leading to medication non-adherence. While other options can
occur, sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent with SSRIs.
Question 5
Before initiating an antidepressant, it is crucial for the Nurse Practitioner to
assess for a history of which condition due to the risk of inducing mood
shifts?
A) Generalized Anxiety Disorder.
B) Panic Disorder.
C) Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder.
D) Bipolar Disorder.
E) Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Correct Answer: D) Bipolar Disorder.
Rationale: Antidepressants can precipitate a manic or hypomanic
episode in individuals with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Therefore,
a thorough screening for bipolar symptoms is essential before
initiating antidepressant monotherapy.
Question 6
The primary mechanism of action for Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors
(SSRIs) is:
A) Blocking dopamine receptors.
B) Inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic cleft.
C) Inhibiting monoamine oxidase enzymes.
D) Blocking norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake.
E) Enhancing GABAergic activity.
Correct Answer: B) Inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic
cleft.
Rationale: SSRIs selectively block the reuptake of serotonin by the
presynaptic neuron, leading to increased serotonin concentrations
in the synaptic cleft and enhanced serotonergic neurotransmission.
, Question 7
A patient receiving venlafaxine (an SNRI) reports a sustained increase in
blood pressure. This is a known dose-dependent side effect of:
A) Serotonin reuptake inhibition.
B) Dopamine receptor blockade.
C) Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.
D) Histamine blockade.
E) Cholinergic blockade.
Correct Answer: C) Norepinephrine reuptake inhibition.
Rationale: Venlafaxine, particularly at higher doses, inhibits
norepinephrine reuptake. Increased norepinephrine activity can
lead to elevated blood pressure and heart rate, making blood
pressure monitoring important for patients on SNRIs.
Question 8
Which class of antidepressants requires strict dietary restrictions (avoiding
tyramine-rich foods) to prevent hypertensive crisis?
A) Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs).
B) Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors (SNRIs).
C) Tricyclic Antidepressants (TCAs).
D) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs).
E) Atypical Antidepressants (e.g., bupropion).
Correct Answer: D) Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs).
Rationale: MAOIs inhibit the enzyme that metabolizes tyramine.
Ingesting tyramine-rich foods (e.g., aged cheeses, cured meats, red
wine) can lead to a dangerous buildup of tyramine, causing a
hypertensive crisis.
Question 9
A common reason for discontinuing tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) is their
significant anticholinergic side effects, which include:
A) Diarrhea and abdominal cramping.
