Autonomic/CV Drugs — MCQs

A 23-year-old male is brought into the emergency department by his girlfriend following an argument. The patient’s girlfriend claims that she threatened to break up with him. He then called her saying he was going to kill himself. When she arrived at the patient’s home, she found him lying on the couch with empty alcohol bottles and multiple pill containers. The patient reports he does not remember everything he took, but says he ingested many pills about four hours ago. The patient’s temperature is 99°F (37.2°C), blood pressure is 110/68 mmHg, pulse is 88/min, and respirations are 25/min with an oxygen saturation of 98% O2 on room air. An arterial blood gas (ABG) is obtained, with results shown below: pH: 7.47 pO2: 94 mmHg pCO2: 24 mmHg HCO3-: 22 mEq/L You check on him a couple hours later, and the patient appears agitated. His girlfriend says he keeps grabbing his head, yelling about non-stop ringing in his ears. Labs and a repeat ABG shows: pH: 7.30 pO2: 90 mmHg pCO2: 22 mmHg HCO3-: 9 mEq/L Na+: 144 mEq/L Cl-: 98 mEq/L K+: 3.6 mEq/L BUN: 18 mg/dL Glucose: 100 mg/dL Creatinine: 1.4 mg/dL Which of the following is the best next step in management?

A 45-year-old woman comes to the physician because of a 6-month history of worsening involuntary movement of the left hand. Her symptoms are worse when she feels stressed at work. She has no history of serious illness and takes no medications. Neurological examination shows difficulty initiating movement and a tremor in the left hand at rest. The tremor decreases when the patient is asked to draw a circle. Which of the following is the most appropriate pharmacotherapy?

A previously healthy 29-year-old man comes to the emergency department because of a 4-day history of abdominal pain and confusion. Prior to the onset of the abdominal pain, he visited a festival where he consumed large amounts of alcohol. Examination shows a distended abdomen, decreased bowel sounds, and diffuse tenderness to palpation. There is motor weakness in the upper extremities. Sensation is decreased over the upper and lower extremities. Laboratory studies show no abnormalities. Which of the following is the most appropriate therapy for this patient's condition?

A 45-year-old male presents to the emergency room for toe pain. He reports that his right great toe became acutely painful, red, and swollen approximately five hours prior. He has had one similar prior episode six months ago that resolved with indomethacin. His medical history is notable for obesity, hypertension, and alcohol abuse. He currently takes hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ). On physical examination, his right great toe is swollen, erythematous, and exquisitely tender to light touch. The patient is started on a new medication that decreases leukocyte migration and mitosis, and his pain eventually resolves; however, he develops nausea and vomiting as a result of therapy. Which of the following underlying mechanisms of action is characteristic of this patient’s new medication?

A 40-year-old woman with a recent history of carcinoma of the breast status post mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy one week ago presents for follow-up. She reports adequate pain control managed with the analgesic drug she was prescribed. Past medical history is significant for hepatitis C and major depressive disorder. The patient denies any history of smoking or alcohol use but says she is currently using intravenous heroin and has been for the past 10 years. However, she reports that she has been using much less heroin since she started taking the pain medication, which is confirmed by the toxicology screen. Which of the following is the primary mechanism of action of the analgesic drug she was most likely prescribed?

A 52-year-old man presents to his primary care physician complaining of a blistering rash in his inguinal region. Upon further questioning, he also endorses an unintended weight loss, diarrhea, polydipsia, and polyuria. A fingerstick glucose test shows elevated glucose even though this patient has no previous history of diabetes. After referral to an endocrinologist, the patient is found to have elevated serum glucagon and is diagnosed with glucagonoma. Which of the following is a function of glucagon?

A 6-year-old boy is brought to the pediatrician by his foster father because he is concerned about the boy's health. He states that at seemingly random times he will have episodes of severe difficulty breathing and wheezing. Upon questioning, the pediatrician learns that these episodes do not appear to be associated with exercise, irritants, or infection. The pediatrician suspects the child has a type of asthma that is associated with eosinophils. In this type of asthma, what is released by the eosinophils to cause bronchial epithelial damage?

A 22-year-old woman is brought to the emergency department by her roommate for unusual behavior. They were at a party where alcohol and recreational drugs were consumed, but her roommate is unsure of what she may have taken or had to drink. She is otherwise healthy and does not take any medications. The patient appears anxious. Her temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F), pulse is 110/min, respiratory rate is 16/min, and blood pressure is 145/82 mmHg. Examination shows dry mucous membranes and bilateral conjunctival injection. Breath sounds are normal. The abdomen is soft and nontender. Further evaluation will most likely reveal which of the following?

A 40-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician with a 2-month history of joint pain and morning stiffness that improves through the course of the day. Her left knee also sometimes bothers her. She has taken ibuprofen and Tylenol without relief, and the pain is starting to upset her daily routine. On physical examination, the joints of her fingers and wrists are swollen and tender to touch. Her left knee also feels warm. The strength in both hands is reduced but the sensation is intact. On auscultation, the heart sounds are regular and the lungs are clear. Laboratory findings are presented below: Hemoglobin 12.7 g/dL Hematocrit 37.5% Leukocyte count 5,500/mm3 Mean corpuscular volume 82.2 μm3 Platelet count 190,000/mm3 Erythrocyte sedimentation rate 45 mm/h C-reactive protein 14 mg/dL Anti-citrullinated protein antibody 43 (normal reference values: < 20) Which of the following is the most appropriate treatment for this patient?

A 62-year-old woman presents to her primary care physician for her annual check-up. She has no current complaints and says that she has been healthy over the last year. Her past medical history is significant for obesity and diabetes that is well controlled on metformin. She does not smoke and drinks socially. Selected lab results are shown below: High-density lipoprotein: 48 mg/dL Low-density lipoprotein: 192 mg/dL Triglycerides: 138 mg/dL Given these results, the patient is placed on the drug that will be the best therapy for these findings. Which of the following is a potential side effect of this treatment?