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NSG 533 Advanced Pharmacology Test 1 Week 4 (2025/2026) Questions And Answers Graded A+ WILKES UNIVERSITY Which of the following SSRIs requires up to a 5-week washout period because of the long half-life of its potent active metabolite? A. Escitalopram B. Fluvoxamine C. Fluoxetine D. Sertraline C Which of the following symptoms is most likely to improve within approximately 1 week of starting treatment? A. Depressed mood B. Suicidal thoughts C. Anhedonia D. Sleep D
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Which of the following SSRIs requires up to a 5-week washout period because of the
long half-life of its potent active metabolite?
A. Escitalopram
B. Fluvoxamine
C. Fluoxetine
D. Sertraline
C
Which of the following symptoms is most likely to improve within approximately 1 week
of starting treatment?
A. Depressed mood
B. Suicidal thoughts
C. Anhedonia
D. Sleep
D
Of the following combinations of medications, which one would you want to avoid?
A. Fluoxetine-lithium
B. Fluoxetine-phenelzine
C. Citalopram-valproic acid
D. Citalopram-aripiprazole
B
A 26-year-old man with a history of depression has been taking sertraline 200 mg/day for 12 weeks with no response. The patient has no other complications. The physician asks for your recommendation. The most reasonable recommendation would be to:
A. Increase sertraline
B. Add fluoxetine
C. Switch to amitriptyline
D. Change to venlafaxine
E. Decrease sertraline
D
Which of the following is a dangerous combination?
A. MAOI-lorazepam
B. MAOI-acetaminophen
C. MAOI-meperidine
D. MAOI-ziprasidone
C
A 46-year-old woman presents to the psychiatric outpatient clinic for follow-up treatment of major depression. She is currently on paroxetine 10 mg at bedtime, which she started taking 2 months ago when admitted to the psychiatric hospital for suicidal ideation. During the interview, she says that she does not think the medication is working because she is just as depressed as she was before taking the medication and has recently started drinking eight to 10 beers daily to alleviate the depression. Before this episode, she was
sober for 4 years. Which of the following treatment strategies would be the appropriate choice for this patient?
A. Stop the paroxetine and start nefazodone 100 mg po twice daily
B. Increase the dose of paroxetine to 20 mg po at bedtime
C. Stop the paroxetine and start duloxetine 20 mg/day
D. Continue the paroxetine at them same dose for a longer period of time to evaluate
whether she will respond or not
B
Which of the following is a flaw in the monoamine hypothesis of depression?
A. Concentrations of neurotransmitters are reduced in the synaptic cleft
B. A switch to a different class of antidepressants does not improve response
C. Antidepressant response is associated with a therapeutic level of the medication
D. Antidepressant effects on neurotransmitters do not temporally correspond to response.
D
A 26-year-old patient with a first episode of depression has been treated with duloxetine 60 mg twice daily for the past 4 months. The patient would like to discontinue treatment. The patient should be told that they need at least _____full months of antidepressant
therapy after reaching full remission.
A. 3
B. 6
C. 9
D. 12
B
Which of the side effects of trazodone for the treatment of depression is most frequently
observed?
A. Hematuria
B. Delayed orgasm
C. Priapism
D. Orthostasis
D
An antidepressant that may be dangerous in overdose is
A. Mirtazapine
B. Amitriptyline
C. Fluoxetine
D. Escitalopram
B
venlafaxine in the past, and he would like to try the same medication. Which of the following monitoring parameters would be the most important to follow on this medication?
A. Blood pressure
B. White blood cell count 7
C. Electrocardiogram
D. Potassium levels 8
A
Which of the following statements regarding panic disorder is true?
A. Panic attacks are expected and have an identifiable trigger
B. Panic attacks usually peak in intensity in about 1 hour.
C. Agoraphobia is always present.
D. It is more common in men.
E. Panic symptoms are self-limiting in duration.
E
Which of the following substances/medications would not be expected to contribute to panic anxiety?
A. Albuterol
B. Olanzapine
C. Cannabis
D. Phenylephrine
E. Caffeine
B
Pregabalin is a preferred treatment for a patient with GAD and a history of which of the following?
A. Comorbid depression
B. Alcohol dependence
C. Did not tolerate SSRIs
D. Renal impairment
E. Nonadherence
C
The following treatment would be preferred for a 12-year-old with SAD.
A. Alprazolam
B. Fluoxetine
C. Pregabalin
D. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
E. Individual supportive psychotherapy
D
Which of the following statements is true regarding quetiapine in the treatment of anxiety disorders?
A. Is effective for treatment of panic disorder
B. Is associated with weight gain, sedation, and fatigue
C. Is effective in doses above 300 mg/day
A 23-year-old otherwise healthy woman with GAD has no past history of drug or alcohol abuse and no family history of substance abuse. She is started on lorazepam 0.5 mg three times daily. Which of the following side effects will you warn her about?
a. Risk of withdrawal symptoms upon discontinuation
b. Sedation
c. Anterograde amnesia
d. Slowed reaction time
e. All of the above
E
Which initial antidepressant regimen is likely to be the best tolerated by a patient with panic disorder?
A. Duloxetine 60 mg daily
B. Bupropion 300 mg XL daily
C. Imipramine 50 mg three times daily
D. Paroxetine 10 mg daily
E. Buspirone 15 mg three times daily
D
A 22-year-old woman with SAD has significant improvement in anxiety after 14 weeks of
treatment with sertraline. How long should she remain on sertraline?
A. Discontinue now
B. Additional 3 months
C. Additional 6 months
D. Additional 1-2 years
E. Lifetime therapy
C
A 26-year-old African American man with SAD has been stable on sertraline 100 mg/day for
the past year. He reports to the clinic today with complaints of increased anxiety, agitation, and
nausea. Upon further examination, you notice he last filled his sertraline Rx (90-day supply) 4
months ago. Medications: Ibuprofen 400 mg as needed for joint pain. He reports taking sertraline
most days but ran out 4 days ago. What is most likely going on with AS?
A. Serotonin syndrome
B. Serotonin withdrawal
C. Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
D. Relapse of SAD
E. Rebound anxiety
B
A 78-year-old black woman has HTN, DJD, osteoporosis, and GAD. Which of the following medications is the best choice for management of her GAD?
A. Pregabalin
B. Trazodone
C. Quetiapine
D. Escitalopram
E. Mirtazapine
B. 25-year-old black woman
C. 45-year-old black man
D. 45-year-old Asian man
E. 45-year-old white man
D
AD is a 58-year-old man who presents to your clinic with the complaint that he "just can't sleep at night." Upon further questioning, he reports that he typically falls asleep without problem but wakes up multiple times throughout the night. Which of the following sleep disorders could AD possibly have?
A. Insomnia
B. Obstructive sleep apnea
C. Narcolepsy
D. Restless legs syndrome
E. All of the above
E
RS is a 28-year-old man with a history of obsessive-compulsive disorder who reports that he kicks his legs during the night, which wakes him up. He reports that he does not really have any symptoms of restless legs syndrome, but the leg kicking frequently awakens him in the middle of the night and causes him to be sleepy during the daytime. RS has a body mass index of 21 kg/m and is normotensive, and his wife says he does not snore or stop breathing during sleep. What would you recommend for RS?
A. Temazepam 15 mg at bedtime
B. Polysomnography
C. Pramipexole 0.5 mg at bedtime
D. Multiple sleep latency test
E. Gabapentin 300 mg at bedtime
A
Regarding therapies for the treatment of insomnia all of the following are correct except:
A. Sedating antidepressants are commonly used to treat insomnia despite few good studies that document efficacy for insomnia.
B. Nonbenzodiazepines (zolpidem, zaleplon, eszopiclone) are generally associated with less rebound insomnia than traditional benzodiazepines.
C. Based on efficacy studies, BZDRAs and ramelteon are the drugs of choice for the treatment of insomnia.
D. Suvorexant is an orexin receptor antagonist used for insomnia that is novel because it is not a controlled substance.
E. All of the above are correct.
D
Which of the following is a consequence of unidentified and untreated sleep disorders?
A. Hypertension
B. Motor vehicle accidents
C. Excessive daytime sleepiness
D. Irritability
E. All of the above
E
BL is a 24-year-old college student with narcolepsy (no cataplexy) who is taking methylphenidate 20 mg/day (he takes this at 8 AM before his first class). Currently, this works well at reducing sleepiness in the morning, but next semester, BL will have morning and late afternoon classes and is worried he will not be able to stay awake for
afternoon classes. Which of the following might be the best strategy for the upcoming semester?
A. Methylphenidate 10 mg twice daily (8 AM and 6 PM)
B. Methylphenidate 20 mg SR twice daily and 10 mg prn afternoon sleepiness
C. Dextroamphetamine 10 mg/day (8 AM)
D. Sodium Oxybate 2.25 g at bedtime and 3 hours later
E. Selegiline 10 mg/day at 8 AM
B
JM is a 38-year-old man traveling to Europe on business. He asks you for a recommendation to treat jet lag upon his arrival. Based on the available evidence, which agent would you recommend?
A. Valerian
B. Diphenhydramine
C. Mirtazapine
D. Melatonin
E. Quazepam
D
A patient presents to the clinic and tells you that he is looking for something to help him fall at night. He reports that he frequently goes to bed and cannot fall asleep for 2 or 3 hours, so he lies
in bed and watches television. Upon further questioning, he relays the following information about his sleep and medical history:
SH: Retired and married with two grown children. No tobacco use. Does not drink alcohol or caffeine. He exercises at the health club in the mornings.
Sleep patterns: Goes to bed on average at 11 PM and awakens with alarm at 6 AM but frequently does not fall asleep until 1 or 2 AM. No awakenings after he is asleep. No reports of limb restlessness. Tired in the daytime and naps for about an hour each afternoon but thinks it is related to inadequate sleep time.
What would you recommend to the patient to improve his sleep hygiene?
A. Instruct him not to exercise; it may contribute to his complaint.
B. Instruct him to continue watching television in bed; it will help him fall asleep more easily.
C. Recommend he drink alcohol in the evening to take the edge off.
D. Instruct him to avoid daytime naps.
E. Recommend all of the above.
D
GR is a 58-year-old man with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension. He is currently using continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy (8 cm of water pressure [0.8 kPa]) for his OSA and uses it about 6.5 hours each night. His Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 19 out of 24 when he first started CPAP, and it has
improved, but he is still sleepy (current score, 14 out of 24). He has not gained any weight since starting CPAP therapy. What would be the best recommendation for GR?
E. None of the above
C
A patient with restless legs syndrome has been taking ropinirole 1 mg before bedtime to treat her symptoms. She takes her ropinirole at 7 PM, goes to bed at 9 PM, and wants to awaken at 6 AM for work. She explains that ropinirole helps her before going to bed and for the first few hours of sleep, but her symptoms reemerge around 3 AM, causing her to awaken too early. Her serum ferritin is 88 ng/mL (mcg/L; 198 pmol/L). What is happening with this patient's therapy?
A. Patient is experiencing tolerance to the ropinirole.
B. Patient is experiencing symptom augmentation.
C. The ropinirole has worn off at 3 AM due to relatively short half-life.
D. Patient is experiencing morning symptoms due to iron deficiency.
E. All of the above.
C
DH is a 34-year-old woman with a history of narcolepsy with cataplexy. She takes modafinil (Provigil) 200 mg each morning and 200 mg at noon to help control her sleepiness but does not receive much benefit from it. Her Epworth Sleepiness Scale score was 19 out of 24 today in clinic. She reports that she is most sleepy in the middle
of the afternoon. She had not previously been on therapy for cataplexy. Today, she reports that her cataplexy has worsened and that she wishes to try something to help. What regimen would you recommend to better control DH's narcolepsy and cataplexy?
A. Switch to methylphenidate 20 mg SR in the morning and at noon and add venlafaxine 75 mg/day.
B. Increase her modafinil to 400 mg in the morning and 200 mg at noon.
C. Keep modafinil dose the same and add venlafaxine 75 mg in the morning.
D. Switch to methylphenidate 10 mg taken in the morning.
E. Switch to dextroamphetamine 5 mg in the morning and fluoxetine 10 mg in the morning.
A
VF is a 74-year-old man who is accompanied today in your clinic by his wife. She
reports that for the past few months, VF thrashes around in bed violently during the
latter half of the night (one to two times per week). He has flown out of bed on occasion
and bruised his arm by hitting the wall. When asked about these episodes, he replies that
he is usually dreaming about a struggle before he wakes up. What is the best diagnosis
and matching appropriate therapy for VF?
A. NREM parasomnia—sleep walking—clonazepam
B. NREM parasomnia—night terrors—bupropion
C. REM parasomnia—REM behavior disorder—clonazepam
D. Periodic limb movements of sleep—ropinirole
E. Restless legs syndrome—gabapentin
C
