NSG 6005 Week 5 Pharmacology Exam
Questions and Answers (Complete
Practice Papers
David is a thirty-four-year-old who is starting on paroxetine (Paxil) for depression. What does David
need to be educated about regarding his medication?
Paroxetine may cause intermittent diarrhea.
He may experience sexual dysfunction beginning a month after he starts therapy.
He may have constipation, and he should increase fluids and fiber.
Paroxetine has a long half-life, so he may occasionally skip a dose. - CORRECT ANSWERS He
may experience sexual dysfunction beginning a month after he starts therapy.
A sixty-six-year-old male was prescribed phenelzine (Nardil) while in an acute psychiatric unit for
recalcitrant depression. The nurse practitioner managing his primary healthcare needs to understand
the following regarding phenelzine and other monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs):
He should not be prescribed any serotonergic drug such as sumatriptan (Imitrex).
MAOIs interact with many common foods, including yogurt, sour cream, and soy sauce.
Symptoms of hypertensive crisis (headache, tachycardia, sweating, etc.) require immediate treatment.
All the above options are correct. - CORRECT ANSWERS All the above options are correct.
Dwayne was recently started on carbamazepine to treat seizures. He comes to see you, and you note
that while his carbamazepine levels had been in the therapeutic range, they are now low. The possible
cause for the low carbamazepine levels is:
Dwayne hasn't been taking his carbamazepine because it causes insomnia.
Carbamazepine auto-induces metabolism, leading to lower levels in spite of good compliance.
Dwayne was not originally prescribed the correct amount of carbamazepine.
Carbamazepine is probably not the right antiseizure medication for Dwayne. - CORRECT ANSWERS
Carbamazepine auto-induces metabolism, leading to lower levels in spite of good compliance.
, Common mistakes practitioners make in treating anxiety disorders include:
Switching medications after an eight-week trial to a twelve-week trial
Maximizing dosing of antianxiety medications
Encouraging exercise and relaxation therapy before starting medication
Thinking a partial response to medication is acceptable - CORRECT ANSWERS Thinking a
partial response to medication is acceptable
Six-year-old Lucy has recently been started on ethosuximide (Zarontin) for seizures. She should be
monitored for:
Increased seizure activity as this drug may auto-induce seizures
Altered renal function, including renal failure
Blood dyscrasias, which are uncommon but possible
CNS excitement, leading to insomnia - CORRECT ANSWERS Blood dyscrasias, which are
uncommon but possible
An appropriate first-line drug for the treatment of depression with fatigue and low energy would be:
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Buspirone (Buspar)
Amitriptyline (Elavil) - CORRECT ANSWERS Venlafaxine (Effexor)
When prescribing Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) to adults with ADHD, the nurse
practitioner will need to monitor:
The blood pressure
Blood glucose levels
Urine ketone levels
Liver function - CORRECT ANSWERS The blood pressure
Questions and Answers (Complete
Practice Papers
David is a thirty-four-year-old who is starting on paroxetine (Paxil) for depression. What does David
need to be educated about regarding his medication?
Paroxetine may cause intermittent diarrhea.
He may experience sexual dysfunction beginning a month after he starts therapy.
He may have constipation, and he should increase fluids and fiber.
Paroxetine has a long half-life, so he may occasionally skip a dose. - CORRECT ANSWERS He
may experience sexual dysfunction beginning a month after he starts therapy.
A sixty-six-year-old male was prescribed phenelzine (Nardil) while in an acute psychiatric unit for
recalcitrant depression. The nurse practitioner managing his primary healthcare needs to understand
the following regarding phenelzine and other monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs):
He should not be prescribed any serotonergic drug such as sumatriptan (Imitrex).
MAOIs interact with many common foods, including yogurt, sour cream, and soy sauce.
Symptoms of hypertensive crisis (headache, tachycardia, sweating, etc.) require immediate treatment.
All the above options are correct. - CORRECT ANSWERS All the above options are correct.
Dwayne was recently started on carbamazepine to treat seizures. He comes to see you, and you note
that while his carbamazepine levels had been in the therapeutic range, they are now low. The possible
cause for the low carbamazepine levels is:
Dwayne hasn't been taking his carbamazepine because it causes insomnia.
Carbamazepine auto-induces metabolism, leading to lower levels in spite of good compliance.
Dwayne was not originally prescribed the correct amount of carbamazepine.
Carbamazepine is probably not the right antiseizure medication for Dwayne. - CORRECT ANSWERS
Carbamazepine auto-induces metabolism, leading to lower levels in spite of good compliance.
, Common mistakes practitioners make in treating anxiety disorders include:
Switching medications after an eight-week trial to a twelve-week trial
Maximizing dosing of antianxiety medications
Encouraging exercise and relaxation therapy before starting medication
Thinking a partial response to medication is acceptable - CORRECT ANSWERS Thinking a
partial response to medication is acceptable
Six-year-old Lucy has recently been started on ethosuximide (Zarontin) for seizures. She should be
monitored for:
Increased seizure activity as this drug may auto-induce seizures
Altered renal function, including renal failure
Blood dyscrasias, which are uncommon but possible
CNS excitement, leading to insomnia - CORRECT ANSWERS Blood dyscrasias, which are
uncommon but possible
An appropriate first-line drug for the treatment of depression with fatigue and low energy would be:
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
Escitalopram (Lexapro)
Buspirone (Buspar)
Amitriptyline (Elavil) - CORRECT ANSWERS Venlafaxine (Effexor)
When prescribing Adderall (amphetamine and dextroamphetamine) to adults with ADHD, the nurse
practitioner will need to monitor:
The blood pressure
Blood glucose levels
Urine ketone levels
Liver function - CORRECT ANSWERS The blood pressure
