NCLEX-RN : Drug Identification

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for NCLEX-RN

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Example Questions

Example Question #61 : Drug Identification

Which of the following antibiotics is contraindicated in pregnant women and small children due to it's tendency to irreversibly stain developing teeth?

Possible Answers:

Beta lactam antibiotics

Tetracyclines

Fluoroquinolones

Aminoglycosides

Correct answer:

Tetracyclines

Explanation:

Tetracycline antibiotics are contraindicated in pregnant women and small children due to their tendency to irreversibly stain developing teeth. They can also affect fetal bone growth and so are pregnancy category D (known incidence and risk of fetal harm).

Example Question #61 : Drug Identification

Which of the following antibiotics is considered safe in pregnancy?

Possible Answers:

Levofloxacin

Amoxicillin

Doxycycline

Gentamicin

Correct answer:

Amoxicillin

Explanation:

Of the antibiotics listed, amoxicillin is the only one considered safe in pregnancy. Doxycycline and gentamicin are both pregnancy category D (known to cause fetal harm). Levofloxacin is category C (fetal harm can not be ruled out).

Example Question #141 : Pharmacology

Penicillin us used to treat what type of microbe?

Possible Answers:

Gram negative bacteria only

Gram positive and Gram negative

Fungal infections

Gram positive bacteria only

Correct answer:

Gram positive bacteria only

Explanation:

Penicillins belong to a larger class of antibiotics known as beta-lactams. These antibiotics inhibit cell-wall synthesis and are exclusively used to treat Gram positive bacteria. They are not effective against Gram negative bacteria or fungi. 

Example Question #62 : Drug Identification

Which of the following class of antibiotics is considered the first-line treatment for E. coli infections?

Possible Answers:

Aminoglycosides

Fluoroquinolones

Tetracyclines

Macrolides

Correct answer:

Fluoroquinolones

Explanation:

Fluoroquinolones are considered to be the treatment of choice for E. coli infections due to their effectiveness in relieving diarrhea and minimal serious adverse effects. Aminoglycosides and beta-lactam antibiotics may also be effective, as a second choice.

Example Question #11 : Antimicrobial Pharmacology

The nurse considers administration of gentamycin. Which of the following is not a side effect of this medication?

Possible Answers:

Anorexia

Ototoxicity

Diaphoresis

Nephrotoxicity

Nausea

Correct answer:

Diaphoresis

Explanation:

Gentamycin, an antibiotic and aminoglycoside, inhibits protein synthesis of gram-negative bacteria. It treats severe systemic infections. It may cause ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity, as well as anorexia, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Diaphoresis is not a common side effect of gentamycin.

Example Question #61 : Drug Identification

You are the nurse taking care of a patient who is being treated with levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, for pneumonia. Which of the following choices best describes the mechanism of action of fluoroquinolone antibiotics?

Possible Answers:

Disruption of peptidoglycan cross-linkage

Disruption of mycolic acid synthesis

Inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis

Inhibition of topoisomerase II

Blockage of tRNA-ribosome-mRNA complex binding

Correct answer:

Inhibition of topoisomerase II

Explanation:

The correct answer is "inhibition of topoisomerase II," as this is the mechanism of action of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as levofloxacin.

The other choices are incorrect for the following reasons:

Blockage of tRNA-ribosome-mRNA complex binding is the mechanism of action of tetracycline antibiotics. 

Disruption of mycolic acid synthesis is the mechanism of action of various anti-fungal agents.

Disruption of peptidoglycan cross-linkage is the mechanism of action of vancomycin.

Inhibition of peptidoglycan synthesis is the mechanism of action of beta-lactam antibiotics.

Example Question #61 : Drug Identification

You start a 32 year-old, HIV + Caucasian male on acyclovir (Zovirax) for a herpes simplex virus (HSV) infection. What is the mechanism of action of acyclovir?

Possible Answers:

Acyclovir serves as a "cap" to viral mRNA and prevents binding of reverse transcriptase.

Acyclovir prevents viral uncoating and inhibits production of viral mRNA.

Acyclovir binds to the hydrophobic sites on the influenza virus capsule. This destabilizes the virus, not allowing it to attach to the cell

Acyclovir is phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase and used as a defective guanosine analog in viral DNA synthesis.

Acyclovir binds to ICAM-1, preventing viral attachment

Correct answer:

Acyclovir is phosphorylated by viral thymidine kinase and used as a defective guanosine analog in viral DNA synthesis.

Explanation:

Acyclovir is converted to acyclovir-triphosphate and incorporated into the synthetic pathway for viral DNA as a guanosine molecule. The initial phosphorylation of acyclovir is carried out by viral thymidine kinase. Acyclovir has a higher affinity for viral thymidine kinase than mammalian thymidine kinase. Therefore, acyclovir is specifically effective in virally infected cells.

Example Question #62 : Drug Identification

Identify the anti-viral agent that blocks assembly of pox viruses by inhibiting viral protein synthesis.

Possible Answers:

Phosphonoacetic acid

Amantadine

Dideoxyinosine

Azidothymidine

Methisazone

Correct answer:

Methisazone

Explanation:

Methisazone blocks synthesis of viral mRNA and proteins. This is especially evident in pox viruses. Methisazone has been used to treat small pox.

Example Question #62 : Drug Identification

You are prophylactically treating a 84 year-old Caucasian male with amantadine and vaccination for avoidance of an upcoming influenza outbreak. The patient is to receive 100 mg b.i.d. for eight days. What potential side-effects would you look for with amantadine toxicity?

Possible Answers:

Leukopenia, anemia, increased susceptibility to infection

Low blood pressure, bradycardia, premature ventricular contractions

Hyperbilirubinemia, nausea, jaundice

Elevated BUN, hematuria, nausea

Nervousness, insomnia, anxiety

Correct answer:

Nervousness, insomnia, anxiety

Explanation:

Amantadine affects the central nervous system, producing mild, reversible disturbances. High dosages have been reported to induce seizures

Example Question #61 : Drug Identification

Cases of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis occur in severely immunocompromised patients. The drug of choice for the treatment of these infections is

Possible Answers:

Griseofulvin

Fluconazole

Amphotericin B

Ketoconazole

Correct answer:

Amphotericin B

Explanation:

The opportunistic mycoses are a group of fungal infections that occur almost exclusively in immunocompromised patients. A host of fungi, previously thought to be nonpathogenic, are known to be the etiologic agents of the opportunistic fungal infections. A certain few mycoses are seen with the greatest frequency and include zygomycosis, candidiasis, cryptococcosis, and aspergillosis. Aspergilli are widespread in the environment, and their conidia are easily dispersed and inhaled. These organisms are capable of causing a pulmonary infection in the immunocompromised patient, which rapidly disseminates and causes infection in virtually every organ. The drug of choice for the treatment of these infections is amphotericin B. A polyene macrolide antibiotic, amphotericin B works by forming pores in the fungal cell membrane. The other listed compounds are antifungal agents; however, their selectivity makes them unsuitable for the treatment of aspergillosis.

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