Multiple Choice Questions on Medication Safety and Precautions
Low-dose aspirin (81 mg/day) is the recommended dose for most cardiovascular prevention indications due to its optimal balance of efficacy and safety, while higher doses increase bleeding risk without additional cardiovascular benefit. 1
Aspirin Questions
Aspirin's antiplatelet effect:
- A) Is dose-dependent with higher doses providing better cardiovascular protection
- B) Lasts for 24 hours and requires daily dosing
- C) Irreversibly inhibits platelet function for up to 7 days
- D) Can be immediately reversed with vitamin K administration
Which of the following is a sign of potential aspirin toxicity?
- A) Hypertension
- B) Tinnitus
- C) Hyperglycemia
- D) Bradycardia
For chronic cardiovascular prevention, the recommended aspirin dose is:
- A) 325 mg daily
- B) 81 mg daily
- C) 650 mg daily
- D) 162 mg twice daily
Aspirin given after myocardial infarction or stroke is considered:
- A) Primary prevention
- B) Secondary prevention
- C) Tertiary prevention
- D) Quaternary prevention
Aspirin should be avoided in children with viral infections who are less than:
- A) 12 years of age
- B) 14 years of age
- C) 16 years of age
- D) 18 years of age
Finasteride Questions
The FDA category and recommended dose of finasteride (Proscar) is:
- A) Category D, 5 mg PO daily
- B) Category X, 5 mg PO daily
- C) Category X, 1 mg PO daily
- D) Category D, 1 mg PO daily
Regarding finasteride:
- A) It can be safely handled by pregnant women
- B) It is a teratogen that can cause feminization of male fetuses
- C) It has no reproductive risks
- D) It is contraindicated only in women of childbearing age
Isotretinoin (Accutane) Questions
For reproductive-aged females on Accutane:
- A) One reliable form of birth control is sufficient
- B) Two reliable forms of birth control are required
- C) No birth control is needed if sexually abstinent
- D) Birth control is only required during treatment
Pregnancy testing for patients on Accutane is required:
- A) Only before starting treatment
- B) Monthly during treatment only
- C) 1 month before, monthly during, and 1 month after treatment
- D) Weekly throughout treatment
Vitamin A and Warfarin Questions
Regarding high-dose vitamin A in pregnancy:
- A) It is recommended for fetal development
- B) It is safe in all trimesters
- C) It should be avoided due to teratogenic potential
- D) It is only contraindicated in the third trimester
When warfarin is combined with sulfa drugs:
- A) The effectiveness of warfarin is reduced
- B) INR may increase by up to 15%, increasing bleeding risk
- C) The combination has no significant interactions
- D) Sulfa drugs counteract warfarin's anticoagulant effects
For patients taking both warfarin and aspirin:
- A) No additional monitoring is needed
- B) The combination is absolutely contraindicated
- C) Close monitoring is required due to increased bleeding risk
- D) The drugs cancel each other's effects
Clinical Scenario Questions
A 14-year-old child with influenza symptoms should:
- A) Be treated with aspirin to reduce fever
- B) Avoid aspirin due to risk of Reye's syndrome
- C) Receive aspirin only if fever exceeds 102°F
- D) Take aspirin with food to reduce side effects
A pregnant woman who needs to handle finasteride tablets should:
- A) Wear gloves to avoid skin contact
- B) Handle normally as there is no risk
- C) Crush the tablets to reduce exposure
- D) Take the medication with food
For a patient on warfarin who needs pain management:
- A) Any NSAID is appropriate at standard doses
- B) Ibuprofen should be avoided due to increased bleeding risk
- C) Aspirin is the safest pain reliever option
- D) No pain medications can be safely used