MEGA1 Flashcards
- Ms. O a 36-year-old woman with no known medical conditions visits her GP complaining of shoulder pain. She explains to the GP that the pain started two nights ago following a strength training session using dumb bells. She has tried taking paracetamol to help with the pain, which has helped but only slightly. Following examination, the GP informs Ms. O that she would benefit from taking an NSAID.
As Ms. O. has experienced severe GI side effects with previous NSAID treatment, she wants to use an NSAID with the least risks of GI side effects.
Which of the following NSAIDs is the GP most likely to prescribe?
A- Naproxen 500 mg BD
B- Ibuprofen 400mg QDS
C- Piroxicam 20mg OD
D- Indomethacin 50mg OD
E- Diclofenac 25mg TDS
The correct answer is A - Naproxen 500 mg BD because:
Lower GI Risk Compared to Other NSAIDs
While all NSAIDs carry a risk of gastrointestinal (GI) side effects, some have a higher risk than others.
Piroxicam and Indomethacin have the highest risk of GI side effects and are generally avoided in patients with a history of severe GI reactions.
Diclofenac also has a relatively higher GI risk compared to ibuprofen and naproxen.
Balancing GI Safety and Efficacy
Ibuprofen (B) has the lowest GI risk overall but is less effective for musculoskeletal pain at standard doses (400 mg QDS).
Naproxen (A) has a better balance between pain relief and GI safety, making it a preferred option when GI side effects are a concern.
When needed, a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) such as omeprazole can be co-prescribed to reduce the risk of GI complications.
Thus, Naproxen 500 mg BD is likely to be prescribed as it provides effective pain relief with a lower GI risk compared to the other options.
- You are the GP practice pharmacist, and you are conducting a review with 53-year-old Mrs. Z who is taking Co-careldopa 25/100mg, one tablet three times daily. She explains to you that she has been feeling nauseous recently and would like a treatment for it.
Which of the following antiemetics would you recommend to Mrs Z’s doctor to prescribe?
A- Metoclopramide
B- Domperidone
C- Chlorpromazine
D- Prochlorperazine
E- Trifluoperazine
B - Domperidone
Explanation:
Mrs. Z is taking Co-careldopa (levodopa/carbidopa), which is used in Parkinson’s disease. When selecting an antiemetic, it is crucial to avoid dopamine antagonists that cross the blood-brain barrier, as they can worsen Parkinson’s symptoms by blocking dopamine receptors in the central nervous system.
- You are reviewing the ambulatory blood pressure for a 50-year-old male patient who was referred from his local pharmacy due to a high blood pressure reading. The 24-hour average blood pressure was recorded to be 151/105 mmHg.
He is also currently taking the following medication:
Paracetamol 1g FOUR times DAILY
Metformin 1g TWICE DAILY
Gliclazide 40mg TWICE DAILY
What is the most appropriate treatment to provide?
A- No action should be taken as the average blood pressure reading is within normal range for the patient’s age
B- The patient should be counselled on adopting healthier behaviours into their lifestyle such as increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables and increasing their exercise.
C- Prescribe the patient amlodipine 5mg ONCE DAILY and review the patient’s blood pressure after 4-8 weeks, continue to recommend health eating advice and increasing exercise.
D- Prescribe the patient ramipril 1.25mg ONCE DAILY and review the patient’s blood pressure after 4-8 weeks, continue to recommend healthy eating advice and increasing exercise.
E- Advise that the patient is provided an emergency referral to secondary care.
The correct answer is D - Ramipril 1.25mg OD.
The patient has Stage 2 hypertension (151/105 mmHg), requiring treatment.
ACE inhibitors (e.g., Ramipril) are first-line for patients <55 years old.
Amlodipine is first-line for patients >55 or Black African/Caribbean.
Lifestyle changes (option B) alone are insufficient.
No emergency referral (option E) as BP is not in crisis range (>180/120 mmHg).
Mr. R, a 68-year-old man admitted to the hospital with a clostridium difficile infection.
While taking a medication history, Mr. R hands you a bag of the following medication which he is currently taking:
Metformin 500mg THREE times DAILY
Metronidazole 400mg THREE times daily for 7 days
Amlodipine 5mg ONCE DAILY
Omeprazole 20mg ONCE DAILY
Bendroflumethiazide 2.5mg ONCE DAILY
Which of the medications that Mr. R is taking is most likely to have contributed to him developing a clostridium difficile infection?
A- Metformin
B- Metronidazole
C- Amlodipine
D- Omeprazole
E- Bendroflumethiazide
The correct answer is D - Omeprazole.
Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) like Omeprazole increase the risk of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) by reducing stomach acid, allowing C. difficile spores to survive and colonise the gut.
Antibiotics (e.g., Metronidazole) can also disrupt gut flora, but Metronidazole is actually used to treat CDI, making it unlikely to be the cause.
Other medications (Metformin, Amlodipine, Bendroflumethiazide) do not significantly increase CDI risk.
- Mr. R is then given a 10-day course of vancomycin to treat the clostridium difficile infection. On completion of the course of vancomycin, Mr. R is still symptomatic and further treatment is sought.
In accordance with NICE guidance, which of the following treatment options would be the most suitable for Mr. R to take?
A- Amoxicillin
B- Faecal microbiota transplantation
C- Fidaxomicin
D- Metronidazole
E- Teicoplanin
The correct answer is C - Fidaxomicin.
NICE guidelines recommend Fidaxomicin as the next step if vancomycin fails to resolve Clostridium difficile infection (CDI).
Fidaxomicin is more selective for C. difficile, has a lower recurrence rate, and is preferred over Metronidazole, which is no longer first-line.
Faecal microbiota transplantation (B) is reserved for multiple recurrent infections, not after just one failed course.
- A worried mother comes into the pharmacy with her 3-year-old son. The mother informs you that her son feels warmer than usual, and you record a temperature of 38°C. The child appears distressed and has been pulling at and rubbing his left ear. The mother tells you he developed a cold a few days ago. You suspect an ear infection and suggest she takes him to the GP for a review. You recommend she gives him paracetamol 120mg/5ml for the fever and any pain in the meantime.
Which of the following is the most appropriate dose of paracetamol to be administered every four to six hours?
A- 60mg
B- 120mg
C- 180mg
D- 240mg
E- 360mg
According to the BNF for Children, the appropriate dose of paracetamol for a 3-year-old is 180 mg (7.5 mL of 120 mg/5 mL suspension) every 4-6 hours, up to four doses in 24 hours.
120 mg (B) is the correct dose for 2-3 months old, but at age 3 years, the dose increases to 180 mg.
- Mr H, a 45-year-old man comes into your pharmacy seeking advice about his face. He tells you that about a month ago, he began to experience episodes of flushing during which his face turned red for a while. However, recently the flushing has increased, and some redness remains. It is also accompanied by burning and stinging sensations. He tells you the symptoms seem to become worse when he goes for a walk in the park, and he has noticed that the blood vessels are becoming increasingly visible on his face. He has no medical conditions and is not taking any regular medication.
The most likely diagnosis is rosacea.
Key symptoms:
Flushing that worsens over time with persistent redness.
Burning/stinging sensations.
Worsened by triggers (e.g., sun exposure during walks in the park).
Visible blood vessels (telangiectasia).
- Mrs W, a 52-year-old patient weighing 62kg, was initiated on phenytoin, the doctor orders a serum phenytoin concentration.
Which of the following is the target therapeutic range of serum-phenytoin concentration that should be achieved?
A- 0.5-1mg/L
B- 10-20 mg/L
C- 4-12 mg/L
D- 6-12 mg/L
E- 8-15mg/L
The correct answer is B - 10-20 mg/L.
The therapeutic range for serum phenytoin concentration is typically 10-20 mg/L for most adults.
Concentrations outside this range can lead to either suboptimal therapeutic effects or toxicity.
- Mr. L is a 70-year-old male, with metastatic small cell lung cancer (SCLC). His current analgesic regimen includes MST Continus tablets 60mg to be taken twice daily, as well as Oramorph 10mg/5ml solution for breakthrough pain. Recently, his MST Continus tablets have been increased to 90mg twice daily.
Given this new regime, what is the minimum volume of oramorph solution that Mr L can take per dose to manage breakthrough pain?
A- 4mL
B- 5mL
C- 8mL
D- 9mL
E- 10mL
MST Continus 90 mg twice daily = 180 mg of morphine per day.
For breakthrough pain, the general guideline is to provide 10-20% of the total daily dose as rescue medication with a short-acting opioid like Oramorph.
10% of 180 mg = 18 mg for each breakthrough dose.
Now, to convert this into Oramorph solution:
Oramorph 10 mg/5 mL means 2 mg/mL.
To deliver 18 mg, the volume required would be:
18
mg
2
mg/mL
=
9
mL
2mg/mL
18mg
=9mL
Therefore, the correct dose for breakthrough pain management is 9 mL, which corresponds to answer D.
- Mrs D has visited the TB (tuberculosis) clinic at her local hospital for a check-up. She presents with a prescription for rifampicin, isoniazid, and pyridoxine. She has no known allergies and takes metformin 500 mg twice daily for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mrs D asks you for more information regarding the medication.
Which of the following is the most appropriate advice to give Mrs D regarding pyridoxine?
A- Pyridoxine is given to prevent peripheral neuropathy caused by isoniazid
B- Pyridoxine is given to patients as the third medication in the continuation phase of TB treatment
C- Pyridoxine is given to prevent pancreatitis caused by rifampicin
D- Mrs D must take pyridoxine as part of TB treatment as she is diabetic
E- Pyridoxine is given to prevent the interaction between metformin and rifampicin
The correct answer is A - Pyridoxine is given to prevent peripheral neuropathy caused by isoniazid.
Isoniazid, one of the key drugs in TB treatment, can cause peripheral neuropathy as a side effect, especially in patients with certain risk factors such as diabetes.
Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is given alongside isoniazid to prevent this neuropathy.
The other options do not relate to pyridoxine’s role in TB treatment.
- You are working as a GP practice pharmacist. The Physician’s Associate asks you for advice regarding. Mr N, a 64-year-old male with atrial fibrillation, takes daily warfarin for stroke prevention. The Physician’s Associate has measured his INR today as 6.0 and informs you that he is not experiencing any bleeding.
Given that Mr N is not experiencing any bleeding, which of the following is most appropriate advice to give him?
A- Mr N should stop warfarin and be administered phytometadione (Vitamin K1) by slow intravenous injection. He can restart warfarin when his INR <5.0
B- Mr N should withhold the next 1 or 2 doses of warfarin and the subsequent maintenance dose should be reduced
C- Mr N should stop warfarin and take phytometadione (Vitamin K1) orally using the intravenous preparation. The dose of phytometadione should be repeated if INR is still high after 24 hours and restart warfarin when INR<5.0
D- Mr N should stop warfarin and be administered phytometadione by slow intravenous injection. The dose of phytometadione should be repeated if INR still high after 24 hours and restart warfarin when INR<5.0
E- Stop taking warfarin and refer to A&E for further assessment
The correct answer is B - Mr N should withhold the next 1 or 2 doses of warfarin and the subsequent maintenance dose should be reduced.
INR of 6.0 is high but does not require urgent reversal unless there are signs of bleeding.
Withholding the next 1 or 2 doses of warfarin will help lower the INR. After that, the maintenance dose of warfarin should be reduced to prevent further increases in INR.
Phytomenadione (Vitamin K) is generally only needed for higher INR levels (typically >8.0 or with signs of bleeding).
- You are a pharmacist at a mental health clinic. You receive a prescription for haloperidol depot injection for Mr A. You notice from his patient medication record that he was previously taking haloperidol tablets.
Which of the following is the most likely reason that the haloperidol has been changed from tablets to a depot injection?
A- To improve efficacy
B- To improve adherence
C- To provide a more rapid response
D- To reduce the risk of neuroleptic malignant syndrome
E- To reduce the risk of extra-pyramidal side effects
Improve adherence
- A 70-year-old patient with meningitis has been admitted to your ward and is going to be treated with meropenem. He is currently living with hypertension and stage 4 chronic kidney disease, his current eGFR is 20mL/min.
What is the most appropriate dose of meropenem to provide to the patient?
A- 1g every 8 hours
B- 1g every 12 hours
C- 2g every 8 hours
D- 2g every 12 hours
E- 2g every 24 hours
1g every 12 hrs
- Mr E, a 57-year-old man, asks for your advice regarding abnormal blood test results. He tells you that he was started on Bendroflumethiazide 2.5mg two months ago. He recently had a blood test and was told that the abnormal results may be attributed to the Bendroflumethiazide.
Which of the following abnormal blood test results is least likely to be caused by Bendroflumethiazide?
A- Hyponatraemia
B- Hypomagnesaemia
C- Hypocalcaemia
D- Hypokalaemia
E- Hyperglycaemia
The correct answer is C - Hypocalcaemia.
Bendroflumethiazide is a thiazide diuretic, and thiazide diuretics typically cause hypokalemia, hyponatremia, hypomagnesaemia, and hyperglycaemia as common side effects.
However, thiazide diuretics like Bendroflumethiazide tend to increase calcium levels (hypercalcaemia), not decrease them, so hypocalcaemia is least likely to be caused by Bendroflumethiazide.
- Mrs. B is receiving treatment for tuberculosis (TB). She has been prescribed rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide. She has no known allergies and takes metformin 500 mg twice daily for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Mrs. B has reported severe blurred vision after starting the anti-TB therapy.
Assuming Mrs. B’s blood glucose has been well-controlled throughout this period, which of the following medication has most likely contributed to the visual effects?
A- Rifampicin
B- Isoniazid
C- Ethambutol
D- Pyrazinamide
E – Metformin
The correct answer is C - Ethambutol.
Ethambutol is known to cause optic neuropathy, which can lead to symptoms like blurred vision. This is a well-documented side effect of the medication.
The other options (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and metformin) are not typically associated with visual disturbances like ethambutol.
- You are conducting a training session for your pharmacy staff for the new cholesterol assessment service that has been commissioned to run from your pharmacy. This service would involve identifying patients with a level of total cholesterol and/LDL cholesterol that is above the reference range and referring them to their GP for further assessment.
What is the normal range for total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol?
A- Total cholesterol <5 mmol/L and LDL- Cholesterol <1 mmol/L
B-Total cholesterol <5 mmol/L and LDL- Cholesterol <2 mmol/L
C- Total cholesterol <5 mmol/L and LDL- Cholesterol <3 mmol/L
D- Total cholesterol <4 mmol/L and LDL- Cholesterol <3 mmol/L
E -Total cholesterol <3 mmol/L and LDL- Cholesterol <3 mmol/L
C
- Master S, a 4-month-old baby is brought into your pharmacy on Monday morning by his mother Mrs T, who is worried about him having a fever of 38℃ and cough which started the night before. She says he was unusually irritable throughout the night and refused to feed. He also felt floppy in her arms. He also had cold hands and feet. Upon examining Master S, you notice a small, red pin prick rash on his neck spreading down to his torso. Mrs T is not aware of the rash and does not believe it was present when she left the house this morning. Master S has no known drug allergies.
What is the most appropriate course of action?
A- Give Paracetamol 60mg every 4-6 hours for the fever and inform Mrs T to take Master S to the GP if there is no improvement within 3 days.
B- Refer Master S to the closest Accident and Emergency department.
C- Ring 999 for an ambulance to transfer Master S to the hospital.
D-Give Ibuprofen 50mg every 8 hours for the fever, and Chlorphenamine 1mg twice a day for the rash which is likely to be an allergic reaction.
E -Reassure Mrs T and inform her that if the fever remains for 24 hours to call NHS 111.
The correct answer is C - Ring 999 for an ambulance to transfer Master S to the hospital.
The baby is showing severe symptoms, including high fever, irritability, floppiness, and a rash that suggests the possibility of meningococcal infection, which can progress quickly and is potentially life-threatening. The rash that doesn’t fade when pressed is a key sign of meningococcal septicaemia.
Given the urgency and the risk of severe complications, immediate transfer to the hospital via ambulance is necessary for urgent treatment and assessment.
- Mr T is a 65-year-old man who is a regular patient at your pharmacy. He visits the pharmacy today and explains that he has not been feeling well recently. He asks you to advise him on the best medication to help manage his cold, particularly his sore throat, which is especially troublesome. You refer to his PMR and note he is taking the following medications:
Simvastatin 40mg tablets
Paracetamol 500mg tablets
Priadel (Lithium Carbonate) 200mg tablets
Carbimazole 5mg tablets
Senna tablets
Which of the following would be the most appropriate action to take?
A- Recommend Benylin dry cough mixture to Mr T and advise him to see the GP at the next available appointment
B- Advise Mr T to stop taking carbimazole immediately and to visit the GP or the nearest A&E
C- Advise the patient to stop taking simvastatin and to visit the GP immediately
D- Advise the patient to continue taking all his medication as prescribed and to visit the GP immediately
E - Advise the patient to stop taking Priadel and visit the GP immediatel
B- Advise Mr T to stop taking carbimazole immediately and to visit the GP or the nearest A&E
- Mr R, a 24-year-old student is asking for your advice regarding antimalarial treatment as he is planning on going abroad on a tour of Southeast Asia in two weeks’ time. He shows you the following itinerary that he has booked:
Destination Duration
Madhya Pradesh, India 2 weeks
Lam Dong, Vietnam 1 week
Irian Jaya, Indonesia 2 weeks
Incheon city, South Korea 2 weeks
Sha Tin, Hong Kong 1 week
Mr R states that he is not taking any medication except sertraline 100mg ONCE DAILY for depression and has no known drug allergies.
Which of the following anti-malarial treatments would you recommend to Mr R for use during the entire duration of his trip?
A- Proguanil and chloroquine
B- Only chloroquine
C- Atovaquone with proguanil
D- mefloquine
E - Only proguanil
The correct answer is C - Atovaquone with proguanil.
Atovaquone with proguanil (Malarone) is a commonly recommended antimalarial treatment for travelers visiting regions like India, Vietnam, and Indonesia (including areas with chloroquine-resistant malaria). It is also suitable for long-term use and does not interact with sertraline.
The other options (proguanil and chloroquine, only chloroquine, mefloquine, and only proguanil) either have limitations or are not suitable for the destinations Mr. R is visiting.
a 76-year-old man, who was admitted to hospital for an infection.
Mr C was started on intravenous gentamicin at a dose of 3mg/kg daily in three divided doses. On the second day, his trough serum gentamicin level was found to be 0.5mg/L and his peak serum gentamicin level was 7mg/L (target trough level <1mg/L, target peak level 3-5mg/L).
Which of the following is the most appropriate method of dose rationalisation?
A- Increase the dose and increase the dosing interval
B- Decrease the dose and maintain the dosing interval
C- Maintain the same dose and increase the dosing interval
D- Decrease the dose and increase the dosing interval
E - Maintain the same dose and decrease the dosing interval
B - Decrease the dose and maintain the dosing interval.
The peak level is higher than the target (7 mg/L, with a target of 3-5 mg/L), indicating that the dose is too high for the current dosing schedule.
To bring the peak level within the target range while keeping the trough level within the desired range, the best approach is to decrease the dose but maintain the dosing interval. This would help in managing the peak levels while avoiding toxicity
Which of the following parameters should be monitored while treating Mr C with gentamicin?
A-Neutrophils
B- Thyroid function
C- Respiratory rate
D- Serum creatinine
E - Blood pressure
The correct answer is D - Serum creatinine.
While treating with gentamicin, monitoring serum creatinine is crucial because gentamicin can cause nephrotoxicity, and monitoring kidney function helps detect any early signs of kidney impairment. Serum creatinine is a key indicator of kidney function, and any increase in its levels may suggest that the patient is developing kidney problems due to the drug.
- You are the lead medicines optimisation pharmacist, and you are giving an insight to your role in prescribing to a new cohort of junior doctors that are scheduled to start at the Trust next week. You explain that medicines optimisation is a tool that is incorporated into the everyday prescribing within the Trust and offers a range of benefits to the prescriber, patients, and the public.
Which one of the following is the best definition of ‘medicines optimisation’?
A- A system which looks at how people use medicines and acknowledges that the way people use medicines over time may change, it can help encourage people to take ownership of their treatment.
B- The clinical, cost-effective, and safe use of medicines to ensure patients get the maximum benefit from the medicines they need, while at the same time minimising potential harm.
C- A formalised and standardised process that involves obtaining a patient’s comprehensive current medication list and comparing it to any medication they request or are being given at any healthcare setting, in order to identify and resolve any discrepancies.
D- A cyclic process that aims to improve the development of medication guidelines through incorporating the views of many different healthcare professions.
E - A service that would secure better communication of changes to a patient’s medication when they leave hospital and to reduce incidences of avoidable harm caused by medicines.
A- A system which looks at how people use medicines and acknowledges that the way people use medicines over time may change, it can help encourage people to take ownership of their treatment.
- Mr D, a 25-year-old has asked to speak to you regarding how to accommodate exercise around his busy work/school schedule and wants your advice on how much exercise he should be completing every week.
Which of the following choices is the minimum recommendation duration of exercise that Mr D should perform each week?
A- At least 30 minutes of moderate activity
B- At least 90 minutes of moderate activity
C- At least 120 minutes of moderate activity
D- At least 150 minutes of moderate activity
E -At least 180 minutes of moderate activity
At least 150 minutes of moderate activity
- An anxious patient comes into the pharmacy on a Sunday afternoon. She informs you that she is visiting friends here for the week and has forgotten her medication at home. She shows you a box of Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets labelled with her details and instructions to take two tablets four times a day when required. She explains that she only has one tablet left and requires a further supply urgently as she is in extreme pain. You confirm the patient’s medication with their permission using their summary care record. You agree to issue an emergency supply.
What is the maximum number of Co-codamol 30mg/500mg tablets that can be legally supplied?
A- 5
B- 8
C- 40
D- 56
E- 100
40 (5 day supply)