Chapter 11: Principles of Pharmacology

The process of binding or sticking to a surface is called: A. Digestion B. Absorption C. Adsorption D. Suspension

Adsorption

You arrive at a residence approimately 20 minutes after a 7-year-old boy, who weighs 22 kg, ingested a bottle of Advil. He is conscious and alert and has stable vital signs. Medical control orders you to administer activated charcoal and then transport the child at once. The appropriate maximum dose of activated charcoal for this child is: A. 11 g B. 22 g C. 36 g D. 44 g

44 g

With the flowmeter set at 6 L/min, the nasal cannula will deliver up to ______ oxygen. A. 14% B. 24% C. 34% D. 44%

44%

When administering naloxone (Narcan) via the intranasal route, the EMT should admisiter: A. At least 2 mL into each nostril. B. A half dose into each nostril. C. A minimum of 2.4 mg. D. A maximum of 0.5 mL.

A half dose into each nostril.

While assisting a paramedic in the attempt resuscitation of a 55-year-old male in cardiac arrest, you should expect the paramedic to: A. Administer drugs via the IV route to achieve the fastest effect. B. Give the patient nitroglycerin to increase his blood pressure. C. Give the patient activated charcoal to rule out a drug overdose. D. Withhold drug therapy until an istraosseous catheter is put in place.

Administer drugs via the IV route to achieve the fastest effect.

You are dispatched to a state part for a young female experiencing an allergic reaction. Your assessment reveals that her breathing is severely labored and her blood pressure is very low. You carry epinephrine auto-injectors on your ambulance and have been trained and approved by your medical director to administer them. As your partner gives the patient supplemental oxygen, you attempt to contact medical control but do not have a signal from your cell phone. You should: A. Immediately load the patient into the ambulance, begin transport, and reattempt to contact medical control when you receive a cell signal. B. Place her in a supine position, keep her warm, begin transport to the hospital, and request a paramedic intercept en route. C. Notify dispatch and request that a paramedic unit respond to the scene so they can administer epinephrine to the patient. D. Administer epinephrine to the patient, begin immediate transport, and attempt to contact medical control en route to the hospital.

Administer epinephrine to the patient, begin immediate transport, and attempt to contact medical control en route to the hospital.

Which of the following statements regarding the metered-dose inhaler (MDI) is correct? A. MDIs are contraindicated for all patients with asthma or emphysema. B. MDIs are most commonly used by patients with cardiovascular disease. C. An MDI delivers the same amount of medication every time it is used. D. Shaking an MDI prior to use will cause deactivation of the medication.

An MDI delivers the same amount of medication every time it is used.

A 49-year-old male with extensive cardiac history presents with 2 hours of crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. He is pale and diaphoretic and tells you that he feels like he is going to die. His medications include nitroglycerine, sildenafil (Viagra), and enalapril (Vasotec). His blood pressure is 140/90 mm Hg and his heart rate is 110 beats/min. In addition to administering supplemental oxygen if needed, you should: A. Obtain physician approval to give the nitroglycerin. B. Place him in a supine position and transport at once. C. Administer one nitroglycerine and call medical control. D. Ask him if he took his Viagra within the past 24 hours.

Ask him if he took his Viagra in the past 24 hours.

Your patient is complaining of chest pain. He states it feels just like his last heart attack. You have applied oxygen with no relief. He does not take any medication. His BP is 88/64, pulse is 100, and respirations are 20. Your treatment should include: A. Aspirin B. Nitroglycerin C. Albuterol MDI D. Epinephrine

Aspirin

A 62-year-old male is seen with crushing chest pain, which he describes as being the same kind of pain that he had with a previous heart attack. He has prescribed nitroglycerin but states that he has not taken any. After administering supplemental oxygen if needed and contacting medical control, you should: A. Administer up to three doses of nitroglycerin before assessing his blood pressure. B. Begin immediate transport and request a rendezvous with a paramedic unit. C. Assist him with nitroglycerin unless his systolic blood pressure is less than 100 mm Hg. D. Administer the nitroglycerin unless he has taken Viagra within the past 72 hours.

Assist him with his nitroglycerin unless his systolic blood pressure is less than 100 mm Hg.

Subcutaneous injections deliver the medication: A. Directly into the muscle tissue. B. Between the skin and the muscle. C. Below the first layer of muscle. D. Through the mucosa under the tongue.

Between the skin and the muscle.

A medication with antagonistic properties is one that: A. Stimulated receptor sites and allows other chemicals to attach them. B. Enhances the effects of another medication when given in a higher dose. C. Blocks receptor sites and prevents other chemicals from attaching them. D. Produces a cumulative effect when mixed with the same type of medication.

Blocks receptor sites and prevents other chemicals from attaching to them.

Medications encased in a gelatin shell that are taken by mouth are called: A. Tablets B. Caplets C. Capsules D. Pills

Capsules

When assessing an elderly male who complains of nausea and generalized weakness, you find that he takes atorvastatin (Lipitor) and amlodipine (Norvasc). These medications suggest a history of: A. Bacterial infection B. Non-insulin-dependent diabetes C. Reactive airway disease D. Cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease

Activated charcoal is an example of a(n): A. Elixir B. Gel C. Suspension D. Solution

Suspension

You are dispatched to a movie theater for a 39-year-old female with signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction. As you are assessing her, she pulls an epinephrine auto-injector out of her purse and hands it to you. After confirming the drug's name and expiration date, you should: A. Administer the drug. B. Contact medical control. C. Ask her if she takes other medications. D. Request an ALS ambulance to administer the drug.

Contact medical control.

You are attending to a 26-year-old patient who is unresponsive. As part of your care, you administer naloxone to reverse the effects of the suspected opioid overdose. Immediately after administering the drug you realize that while the dose and the route were correct, the patient condition did not warrent Naloxone as per your local protocols. Your most appropriate next step should be to: A. Notify your medical control as quickly as possible. B. Take careful notes on the patient condition so that you can accurately complete the required documentation later. C. Continue to provide care for the patient and address any issues that the naloxone administration may have caused. D. Discuss the situation with your partner so that it will not be repeated.

Continue to provide care the the patient and address any issues that the naloxone administration may have caused.

The amount of medication that is given is known as the: A. Contraindication B. Indication C. Dose D. Side effect

Dose

Activated charcoal is frequently suspended in sorbitol, a complex sugar that: A. Significantly slows the process of digestion. B. Binds to any chemicals that are in the stomach. C. Facilitates movement through the digestive system. D. Disguises the unpleasant taste of the activated charcoal.

Facilitates movement through the digestive system.

The ______ of a medication usually dictates the route by which it will be administered A. Type B. Form C. Class D. Name

Form

Which of the following statements regarding glucose is correct? A. Glucose is given to patients who are suspected of being hyperglycemic. B. Glucose is usually administered by the EMT via the intravenous route. C. Glucose is a simple sugar that is readily absorbed by the bloodstream. D. Glucose is a complex sugar that rapidly absorbs into the bloodstream.

Glucose is a simple sugar that is readily absorbed by the bloodstream.

Advil, Nuprin, and Motril are trade names for the generic medication: A. Ibuprofen B. Aspirin C. Acetaminophen D. Nitrostat

Ibuprofen

What is the route of administration for the EpiPen auto-injector? A. Intravenous B. Intraosseous C. Sublingual D. Intramuscular

Intramuscular

Which of the following is the MOST rapidly acting medication administration route? A. Sublingual (SL) B. Intravenous (IV) C. Subcutaneous (SC) D. Intramuscular (IM)

Intravenous (IV)

A drug is contraindicated for a patient when it: A. Is used to treat a multitude of conditions. B. May cause harm or has no positive effect. C. Produces actions other than the desired ones. D. Is used to treat a specific medical condition.

May cause harm or has no positive effect.

Which of the following is required for an EMT to administer a drug to a patient? A. A patient with stable vital signs. B. A patient with an altered level of consciousness. C. An alert adult patient. D. Medical direction approval.

Medical direction approval.

EMTs arrive at the scene of a patient who has "found down." A family member states that she gave naloxone (Narcan) to the patient before the ambulance arrived. The EMTs should suspect that the patient: A. Overdoes on an opioid drug. B. Has a low blood glucose level. C. Experienced a prolonged seizure. D. Has a history of allergic reactions.

Overdosed on an opioid drug.

Which of the following statements regarding parenteral medications is correct? A. Parenteral medications are absorbed by the body through the digestive system. B. Compared to enteral medications, parenteral medications have fewer side effects. C. Tylenol is an example of a parenteral medication because it is taken orally. D. Parenteral medications are absorbed more quickly than enteral medications.

Parenteral medications are absorbed more quickly than enteral medications.

Genrally, parenteral medications are more commonly used in the emergency room setting as opposed to enteral medications. The characteristics that separates the two routes with respect to administration in the emergency setting is: A. Enteral medications are often liquid and can be administered using syringes and needles. B. Enteral routes offer a more predictable and measurable response. C. Parenteral routes tend to be absorbed more quickly than enteral. D. Parenteral medications tend to have fewer side effects.

Parenteral routes tend to be absorbed more quickly than enteral.

Which of the following patient populations typically require a modified drug dose? A. Middle adults B. Females C. Pediatric patients D. Patients with asthma

Pediatric patients

In ______ administration, you are administering medication to yourself or your partner. A. Paramedic-administered B. Peer-assisted C. Patient-assisted D. EMT-administered

Peer-assisted

You are attending to a 24-year-old male asthmatic complaining of shortness of breath and wheezing. There are several bystanders in a crowded room. The patient tells you that he would have taken his own albuterol but he was so embarrassed and upset that he could not hold his MDI steady. In helping the patient to self administer his medication in accordance with local protocols, you are: A. Performing peer-assisted medication administration. B. Performing patient-assisted medication administration. C. Working outside your scope of practice and should administer your own MDI to the patient. D. Working outside your scope of practice as this sort of administration may only be done under the direct order of your medical control.

Performing patient-assisted medication administration.

A 31-year-old female is experiencing an acute asthma attack. She is conscious and alert, but in obvious respiratory distress. After assisting her with prescribed MDI, you should: A. Administer another treatment in 30 seconds if she is still in distress. B. Reassess the patient and document her response to the medication. C. Check the drug's expiration date to ensure that it is still current. D. Contact medical control and apprise him or her of what you did.

Reassess the patient and document her response to the medication.

You are attending to a 52-year-old female patient who appears to have suffered a stroke. The patient is alone in her apartment and is unable to speak or communicate with you. In determining her medical history, it is most appropriate to: A. Search for and document all medications (prescription and nonprescription) that the patient may be taking. B. Search for and document the prescription medications that the patient may be taking. C. Restrict your search to the medications that the patient has in their possession only. D. Transport the patient; collecting medications will not help facilitate the immediate or ongoing patient care.

Search for and document all medications (prescription and nonprescription) that the patient may be taking.

After taking diphenhydramine (Benadryl) for an allergic reaction, a person begins experiencing drowsiness and dry mouth. These findings are an example of a(n): A. Side effect B. Untoward effect C. Therapeutic effect D. Unpredictable effect

Side effect

Which of the following clinical signs would necessitate the administration of naloxone (Narcan)? A. Slow respirations B. Extreme agitation C. Tachycardia D. Hypertension

Slow respirations

You are attending to a 54-year-old male patient complaining of chest pain that appears to be cardiac in origin. As part of your management of the patient, you administer nitroglycerin as long as the patient meets defined conditions. This is an example of: A. Online medical control B. Standing orders C. Peer-assisted medication administration D. Patient-assisted medication administration.

Standing orders.

Which of the following is an example of rules-based medication error? A. The EMT administers the correct drug, but gives it by the wrong route. B. The EMT administers a drug that is contraindicated for the patient. C. The EMT administers a drug that is not approved by the medical director. D. The EMT accidentally gives a higher drug dose that what is indicated.

The EMT administers a drug that is not approved by the medical director.

Which of the following is an example of a trade name of a drug? A. Tylenol B. Ibuprofen C. Furosemide D. Nitroglycerin

Tylenol