Self-assessment: Respiratory

Question 1

Mr Patel, who is 48 years old, presents with a non-productive cough. Based on epidemiology, what is the most likely cause of the cough?

Acute bronchitis
Upper airways cough syndrome (post-nasal drip)
Asthma
Viral infection
Pneumothorax

Answer 1

Viral infection

Question 2

Dyspnoea is a symptom most closely associated with which condition?

Chronic bronchitis 
Asthma 
Heart failure
Pneumonia 
Tuberculosis

Answer 2

Heart failure

Question 3

You are recommending treatment for a young woman to treat a common cold (primary symptoms of nasal congestion). She tells you that she is breastfeeding. What would be the most suitable option?

Vapour inhalation
Steam inhalation
Oral sympathomimetics 
Topical sympathomimetics
Antihistamines

Answer 3

Topical sympathomimetics

Question 4

Simon, who is 32 years old, presents with a non-productive cough of 6 days’ duration. He has no symptoms and takes no medication. What would be the most appropriate course of action to take?

Give pholcodine 5ml qds
Advise on drinking more fluids
Give dextromorphan 10ml qds 
Give guafenesin 10ml qds 
Give glycerin lemon and honey 10ml qds

Answer 4

Fluids

Question 5

Which of these is characterised by night sweats?

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 5

TB

Question 6

Which of these has initially a non-productive painful cough that progressess to be productive?

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 6

Pneumonia

Question 7

Which of these is closely associated with a history of smoking?

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 7

Chronic bronchitis

Question 8

IS associated with a high-grade fever:

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 8

Pneumonia

Question 9

Cough is worse in the morning:

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 9

Chronic bronchitis

Question 10

Cough has a bark like quality:

Pneumonia 
Heart Failure
TB
Chronic bronchitis 
Laryngotracheobronchitis

Answer 10

Laryngotracheobronchitis

Question 11

Causes the least sedation:

Acrivastine 
Loratidine
Chlorphenamine 
Cetirizine
Antazoline

Answer 11

Loratidine

Question 12

Is most likely to cause sedation:

Acrivastine 
Loratidine
Chlorphenamine 
Cetirizine
Antazoline

Answer 12

Chlorphenamine

Question 13

Is most suitable for a pregnant woman with nasal congestion:

Acrivastine 
Loratidine
Chlorphenamine 
Cetirizine
Antazoline

Answer 13

Chlorphenamine

Question 14

A patient presents at your pharmacy with classic hay fever symptoms. You decide an antihistamine would be most suitable, however, the patient is a forklift ruck operator. Which antihistamine would be most suitable for this patient?

Loratidine
Acrivastine
Chlorphenamine

Answer 14

Acrivastine

Question 15

What is pneumothorax?

Answer 15

A pneumothorax is a collection of free air in the chest cavity (thoracic cavity) that causes the lung to collapse. Pneumothorax may occur on its own in the absence of underlying disease; this is termed spontaneous pneumothorax.

Question 16

The use of local decongestants is associated wth the phenomenon known as rhinitis medicamentosa. What is this?

Answer 16

Rhinits medicamentosa relates to the problem of overly long use of topical sympthomimetics.

Prolonged use (normally more than 7 days continuous use) results in vascular engorgement of the nose on withdrawal of the medication. Patients often believe mistakenly they have continued nasal congestion.

Strategies to relieve the problem are, if appropriate, a switch to systemically administered decongestants or, if this is not appropriate, then withdrawal of the medication.

Question 17

What is Manerix?

Answer 17

Moclobemide is a reversible inhibitor of monoamine oxidase A drug primarily used to treat depression and social anxiety.

Question 18

Can Manerix be used with sympathomimetics?

Answer 18

Ephedrine in combination with moclobemide increases the risk of cardiovascular adverse effects.

The combination of moclobemide with prescription or over the counter sympathomimetic drugs is not recommended due to the potential of significant drug interactions.

Question 19

What is nocardiasis?

Answer 19

Nocardiosis is an infectious disease affecting either the lungs (pulmonary nocardiosis) or the whole body (systemic nocardiosis). It is due to infection by bacterium of the genus Nocardia, most commonly Nocardia asteroides or Nocardia brasiliensis

Nocardiosis
Synonyms Caption=
Specialty Infectious disease Edit this on Wikidata
Nocardiosis is an infectious disease affecting either the lungs (pulmonary nocardiosis) or the whole body (systemic nocardiosis). It is due to infection by bacterium of the genus Nocardia, most commonly Nocardia asteroides or Nocardia brasiliensis.

It is most common in men, especially those with a weakened immune system. In patients with brain infection, mortality exceeds 80%; in other forms, mortality is 50%, even with appropriate therapy.