All NCLEX-RN Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #11 : Drug Identification
You are a nurse in a primary care setting. One of your patients is diagnosed with hypercholesterolemia, and after failing to see cholesterol improvements with diet and exercise, is started on atorvastatin. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of atorvastatin?
Na-K-2Cl symporter inhibition
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition
Alpha-adrenergic inhibition
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR) activation
Beta-adrenergic inhibition
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition
The correct answer is "HMG-CoA reductase inhibition," as this is the accurate mechanism of action of atorvastatin, a commonly-prescribed lipid-lowering agent for patients with a number of medical conditions, including hypercholesterolemia. HMG-CoA reductase is an enzyme found within the liver that catalyzes a major reaction involved in cholesterol formation. By inhibiting this enzyme with a medication such as a statin, the new production of LDL cholesterol is decreased, and the number of LDL receptors is upregulated (which decreases circulating LDL, therefore lowering LDL cholesterol).
Atorvastatin is neither an alpha-adrenergic inhibitor, beta-adrenergic inhibitor, PPAR activator (fibrates), or Na-K-2Cl symporter inhibitor (loop diuretics).
Example Question #11 : Drug Identification
You are a nurse working on an inpatient medicine floor. One of your patients is advised to discuss starting gemfibrozil, a fibrate medication, after he is discharged. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of gemfibrozil?
Alpha-adrenergic inhibition
Beta-adrenergic inhibition
Vitamin-K-dependent clotting factor synthesis inhibition
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activation
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activation
The correct answer is "Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) activation," as this is the accurate mechanism of action for fibrate medications, such as gemfibrozil. Fibrates are commonly-used medications used to treat high cholesterol, as well as a number of other metabolic abnormalities in patients. Fibrates have the relatively unique property of lowering LDL (the "bad" cholesterol), increasing HDL (the "good" cholesterol), and lowering triglycerides, making them a popular choice when administered either alone, or with statin medications for patients with hypercholesterolemia.
HMG-CoA reductase inhibition is the mechanism of action of statins.
Vitamin-K-dependent clotting factor synthesis inhibition is the mechanism of action of warfarin.
Alpha-adrenergic inhibition is the mechanism of action of phenoxybenzamine, among other medications.
Beta-adrenergic inhibition is the mechanism of action of propranolol, among other medications.
Example Question #12 : Drug Identification
You are the nurse taking care of a patient hospitalized for a deep vein thrombosis. You are reviewing his discharge medications, and counsel him about the benefits and risks associated with apixaban. Which of the following is a major possible adverse effect associated with apixaban?
Bleeding
Constipation
Ischemic stroke
Myocardial infarction
Thrombosis
Bleeding
The correct answer is "bleeding."
Apixaban is a novel anti-coagulant medication that functions by directly inhibiting factor Xa in the clotting cascade. You can remember this mechanism of action by noting the letters "Xa" in apiXaban. Apixaban is used with increasing frequency now in the treatment of deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and atrial fibrillation. A very serious potential adverse effect of apixaban though is that since it is an anticoagulant agent, it can predispose to serious bleeding events. Furthermore, one of the biggest dangers of apixaban is that there is no readily available antidote for it yet, and as such if a bleeding event occurs, there is no simple way to reverse it, as there is with other anti-coagulants like warfarin or heparin.
Thrombosis, myocardial infarction, and ischemic stroke are all typically thrombotic (e.g. clot-related) issues. Apixaban may be used in the treatment of conditions associated with clotting, but is not known to cause clots, as it is an anti-coagulant.
Apixaban has no known association with bowel movement frequency.
Example Question #12 : Cardiovascular Pharmacology
You are a nurse taking care of a patient during a rapid response call. The patient is bradycardic and you are asked to administer atropine. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of atropine?
Beta-adrenergic blocker
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist
Alpha-adrenergic blocker
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist
The correct answer is "Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist," as this accurately describes the mechanism of action of atropine.
Atropine is an anticholinergic medication used for a number of reasons, including to treat bradycardia, various nerve agent poisonings, and intraoperatively at times to diminish the amount of saliva generated. Typical anticholinergic medication side effects can be associated with atropine including pupil dilation, urine retention, dry mouth, constipation, and tachycardia.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor agonist is incorrect as this is the opposite of how atropine works.
Beta-adrenergic blocker is incorrect. This class of medications would actually serve to decrease heart rate, which would be highly dangerous in a patient whose reason for intervention is bradycardia.
Neither alpha-adrenergic blockade nor monoamine oxidase inhibition describes the mechanism of action of atropine.
Example Question #11 : Cardiovascular Pharmacology
You are the nurse taking care of a 78-year old female who is in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response. She is started on metoprolol and diltiazem. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of diltiazem?
Beta-adrenergic blocker
Mu-opioid receptor agonist
Alpha-adrenergic blocker
Mu-opioid receptor antagonist
Calcium-channel blocker
Calcium-channel blocker
The correct answer is "Calcium-channel blocker." Diltiazem, which is more specifically a non-dihydropyridine calcium-channel blocker is a commonly given medication that functions to dilate both coronary and peripheral vessels (with a negligible reflex adrenergic response). It also is useful in reducing cardiac contractility, having negative inotropy, chronotropy, and dromotropy characteristics.
The other choices are incorrect. Beta-adrenergic blocker is the mechanism of action of metoprolol. Alpha-adrenergic blocker is the mechanism of action of doxazosin. Mu-opioid receptor agonist is the mechanism of action of morphine. Mu-opioid receptor antagonist is the mechanism of action of naloxone.
Example Question #101 : Nclex
A client has been taking daily doses of Paroxetine for 6 months and has asked for an information with the nurse about going off the medication. What should the nurse emphasize in the information session?
Urge the client to continue taking the medication until he consults a psychotherapist
Taper the medication to avoid discontinuation syndrome
Stop taking the medication immediately, increase physical activity level for 2-3 weeks to counteract side effects
Advise the patient of probable weight gain after going off the medication
Taper the medication to avoid discontinuation syndrome
Clients taking Paroxetine may experience withdrawal and continuation syndrome. To minimize symptoms, taper the medication over a period of 3 or more weeks.
Example Question #1 : Neural Pharmacology
What type of antidepressant is fluoxetine?
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI)
Tetracyclic antidepressant
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Fluoxetine is an example of a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). SSRI's limit the amount of serotonin that the presynaptic cell that secreted it, cat re-uptake. This increases the time and amount that serotonin is in the synaptic cleft, and bound to postsynaptic receptors, leading to anti-depressant properties. The other drugs are all antidepressants, but are sold under other names.
Example Question #15 : Drug Identification
What drug class is clomipramine?
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Serotonin modulator and stimulator (SMS)
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI)
Tricyclic antidepressant
Tricyclic antidepressant
Clomipramine is a tricyclic antidepressant. Drugs in this class function primarily by blocking serotonin and norepinephrine transporters, resulting in an increase in the levels of these neurotransmitters in the synapse, and thus an increase in their effects due to staying bound to postsynaptic receptors for longer.
Example Question #1 : Neural Pharmacology
What class of drug is trazodone?
Serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI)
Tricyclic antidepressant
Norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (NRI)
Tetracyclic antidepressant
Serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI)
Trazodone is a serotonin antagonist and reuptake inhibitor (SARI). These drugs work by increasing the release and inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin in the synaptic space, thus increasing the effect of serotonin.
Example Question #3 : Neural Pharmacology
Aripiprazole is what class of drug?
Selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI)
Atypical antipsychotic
Serotonin modulator and stimulator (SMS)
Serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI)
Atypical antipsychotic
Aripiprazole is an atypical antipsychotic. It acts as a partial dopamine agonist and an agonist to multiple 5-HT (serotonin) receptors.