NCCT PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTION BANK – COMPLETE
COLLECTION OF FREQUENTLY
TESTED QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
2025/2026 REVIEWED VERSION
The medical assistant is obtaining a patient's current medication history. Which of the
following products has the potential to cause a drug-herb interaction and is important to
include on the medication list?
St. John's wort
Rationale
Herbal products may lead to complications if taken with other medications. Although FDA
regulation of herbal products is improving, patients hesitate to discuss these or may view them
more as dietary supplements. Ex. St. John's Wort is a common herbal remedy used for mild
depression and interacts with a large number of medications. Echinacea (believed to stimulate
immune system, cold prevention) may cause liver toxicity when combined with other liver toxic
drugs such as Methotrexate.
A medication with ototoxic side effects may cause which of the following conditions?
tinnitus
Rationale
Medicines that damage the ear and cause hearing loss are known as ototoxic medicines. Hearing
loss caused by an ototoxic medicine tends to develop quickly. The first symptoms usually are
ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and vertigo. Swimmer's ear (otitis externa) is an inflammation or
infection of the ear canal when water or small debris irritates the skin in the ear canal. Excessive
moisture in the auditiory canal and cerument impaction can happen without having taken
medication.
Which pregnancy risk drug category indicates the greatest risk of fetal harm?
,X
Rationale
Medications are categorized to indicate risk of harm to fetus if taken during pregnancy or to
nursing mothers. A system of classifying drugs according to their established risks for use during
pregnancy includes the following: Category A: Controlled human studies have demonstrated no
fetal risk. Category B: Animal studies indicate no fetal risk, but no human studies; or adverse
effects in animals, but not in well—controlled human studies. Category C: No adequate human
or animal studies; or adverse fetal effects in animal studies, but no available human data.
Category D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits out-weigh risks. Category X: Evidence of fetal
risk. It is thought that risks may outweigh any benefits.
Which of the following is a reliable source for a medical assistant when looking up
information about a specific medication? (Select the three (3) correct answers.)
Physician's Desk Reference, Dosage handbook, Pharmaceutical package inserts
Rationale
The PDR is the primary source for drug information and then additional sources include drug
reference materials; professional dosage handbook/drug guide, pharmaceutical package inserts. A
Policy and Procedure Manual generally doesn't have detailed information on medications.
MSDS's contain details about hazards and risks relevant to the substance, requirements for its
safe handling, and actions required in case of fire, spill or overexposure.
Which of the following immunizations should be avoided for an adult patient taking a
maintenance dose of prednisone?
Zoster
Rationale
Long term use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone can cause immunosuppression.
Immunosuppressed patients receiving the Zoster vaccine are at an increased risk for developing
chicken pox and/or shingles. The live vaccine contains the chickenpox virus and a person cannot
get shingles unless they've had chickenpox. The influenza, Hepatitis A, and Td vaccines do not
need to be avoided, because they aren't live vaccines.
The physician orders acetaminophen (Tylenol) 240 mg po to be administered to a child with
an axillary T of 39.2 degrees C. The available amount of Tylenol is the standard liquid
concentration of 160 mg/5 mL. Which of the following volumes of medication should the
child receive?
7.5 mL
Rationale
, The child should receive 7.5 mL of Tylenol. Use the following formula to calculate the proper
medication amount: D/H V where D= desired dose (240 mg), H= dose on hand (160 mg), and
V= volume (5mL in this case) 240/1605= 7.5 or set it up as fractions 160 mg / 5 mL = 240 mg /
X mL and solve for X 32X=240, X=7.5 mL Since mL is a Volume measurement, 7.5 mL of this
suspension would give the desired 240 mg dose.
Metoprolol (Lopressor) 40mg tab po bid is prescribed for a patient with hypertension. The
medical assistant educates the patient to take the medication
twice per day.
Rationale
bid=twice a day pc= after meals For patient safety reasons, daily and every other day should be
written out on the prescription.
The physician orders a first dose of Amoxicillin 150 mg po for a patient in the clinic
diagnosed with bilateral otitis media. The available amount is 500 mg in 5 mL. How much
medication should the medical assistant administer to the patient?
1.5 mL
Rationale
Use the following formula to calculate the proper medication amount: D/H V where D= desired
dose (150 mg), H= dose on hand (500 mg), and V= volume (5 mL in this case) 150/5005=
1.5mL or set it up as fractions 500 mg / 5 mL = 150 mg / X mL and solve for X 100X=150 ; X=
1.5 mL Since mL is a Volume measurement, 1.5 mL of this suspension would give the desired
150 mg dose
The physician has ordered acetaminophen (Tylenol) E.S.1000 mg po q day. The amount on
hand is 500 mg tabs. What is the correct dose to administer?
2 tabs
Rationale
1000/X*500/1, 500X=1000, 1000/500, X=2 tabs
The physician orders "Xanax (alprazolam) 0.5mg po tid X 3 days." Xanax 1 mg scored
tablets are available. The medical assistant should write which of the following numbers of
tablets on the dispense line for this prescription?
4.5
Rationale
QUESTION BANK – COMPLETE
COLLECTION OF FREQUENTLY
TESTED QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
WITH RATIONALES
2025/2026 REVIEWED VERSION
The medical assistant is obtaining a patient's current medication history. Which of the
following products has the potential to cause a drug-herb interaction and is important to
include on the medication list?
St. John's wort
Rationale
Herbal products may lead to complications if taken with other medications. Although FDA
regulation of herbal products is improving, patients hesitate to discuss these or may view them
more as dietary supplements. Ex. St. John's Wort is a common herbal remedy used for mild
depression and interacts with a large number of medications. Echinacea (believed to stimulate
immune system, cold prevention) may cause liver toxicity when combined with other liver toxic
drugs such as Methotrexate.
A medication with ototoxic side effects may cause which of the following conditions?
tinnitus
Rationale
Medicines that damage the ear and cause hearing loss are known as ototoxic medicines. Hearing
loss caused by an ototoxic medicine tends to develop quickly. The first symptoms usually are
ringing in the ears (tinnitus) and vertigo. Swimmer's ear (otitis externa) is an inflammation or
infection of the ear canal when water or small debris irritates the skin in the ear canal. Excessive
moisture in the auditiory canal and cerument impaction can happen without having taken
medication.
Which pregnancy risk drug category indicates the greatest risk of fetal harm?
,X
Rationale
Medications are categorized to indicate risk of harm to fetus if taken during pregnancy or to
nursing mothers. A system of classifying drugs according to their established risks for use during
pregnancy includes the following: Category A: Controlled human studies have demonstrated no
fetal risk. Category B: Animal studies indicate no fetal risk, but no human studies; or adverse
effects in animals, but not in well—controlled human studies. Category C: No adequate human
or animal studies; or adverse fetal effects in animal studies, but no available human data.
Category D: Evidence of fetal risk, but benefits out-weigh risks. Category X: Evidence of fetal
risk. It is thought that risks may outweigh any benefits.
Which of the following is a reliable source for a medical assistant when looking up
information about a specific medication? (Select the three (3) correct answers.)
Physician's Desk Reference, Dosage handbook, Pharmaceutical package inserts
Rationale
The PDR is the primary source for drug information and then additional sources include drug
reference materials; professional dosage handbook/drug guide, pharmaceutical package inserts. A
Policy and Procedure Manual generally doesn't have detailed information on medications.
MSDS's contain details about hazards and risks relevant to the substance, requirements for its
safe handling, and actions required in case of fire, spill or overexposure.
Which of the following immunizations should be avoided for an adult patient taking a
maintenance dose of prednisone?
Zoster
Rationale
Long term use of corticosteroids, such as prednisone can cause immunosuppression.
Immunosuppressed patients receiving the Zoster vaccine are at an increased risk for developing
chicken pox and/or shingles. The live vaccine contains the chickenpox virus and a person cannot
get shingles unless they've had chickenpox. The influenza, Hepatitis A, and Td vaccines do not
need to be avoided, because they aren't live vaccines.
The physician orders acetaminophen (Tylenol) 240 mg po to be administered to a child with
an axillary T of 39.2 degrees C. The available amount of Tylenol is the standard liquid
concentration of 160 mg/5 mL. Which of the following volumes of medication should the
child receive?
7.5 mL
Rationale
, The child should receive 7.5 mL of Tylenol. Use the following formula to calculate the proper
medication amount: D/H V where D= desired dose (240 mg), H= dose on hand (160 mg), and
V= volume (5mL in this case) 240/1605= 7.5 or set it up as fractions 160 mg / 5 mL = 240 mg /
X mL and solve for X 32X=240, X=7.5 mL Since mL is a Volume measurement, 7.5 mL of this
suspension would give the desired 240 mg dose.
Metoprolol (Lopressor) 40mg tab po bid is prescribed for a patient with hypertension. The
medical assistant educates the patient to take the medication
twice per day.
Rationale
bid=twice a day pc= after meals For patient safety reasons, daily and every other day should be
written out on the prescription.
The physician orders a first dose of Amoxicillin 150 mg po for a patient in the clinic
diagnosed with bilateral otitis media. The available amount is 500 mg in 5 mL. How much
medication should the medical assistant administer to the patient?
1.5 mL
Rationale
Use the following formula to calculate the proper medication amount: D/H V where D= desired
dose (150 mg), H= dose on hand (500 mg), and V= volume (5 mL in this case) 150/5005=
1.5mL or set it up as fractions 500 mg / 5 mL = 150 mg / X mL and solve for X 100X=150 ; X=
1.5 mL Since mL is a Volume measurement, 1.5 mL of this suspension would give the desired
150 mg dose
The physician has ordered acetaminophen (Tylenol) E.S.1000 mg po q day. The amount on
hand is 500 mg tabs. What is the correct dose to administer?
2 tabs
Rationale
1000/X*500/1, 500X=1000, 1000/500, X=2 tabs
The physician orders "Xanax (alprazolam) 0.5mg po tid X 3 days." Xanax 1 mg scored
tablets are available. The medical assistant should write which of the following numbers of
tablets on the dispense line for this prescription?
4.5
Rationale
