Deck 15: Non-steroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs

Question 1

Aspirin and other NSAIDs exert their primary therapeutic effects by interfering with the biosynthesis of

A) leukotrienes
B) catecholamines
C) prostaglandins
D) cyclic AMP
E) endogenous opioids

Answer 1

prostaglandins

Question 2

Several COX-2 selective inhibitors such as rofecoxib (Vioxx)and valdecoxib (Bextra)have been taken off the market because these drugs can cause serious side effects such as

A) liver failure
B) brain tumors
C) heart attack and stroke
D) kidney failure
E) skeletal muscle inflammation and myopathy

Answer 2

heart attack and stroke

Question 3

In addition to its analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects,it appears that regular use of low-dose aspirin may also help prevent

A) heart attacks
B) ischemic strokes
C) colorectal cancer
D) all the above are true
E) none of the above are true

Answer 3

all the above are true

Question 4

Which of the following conditions is not normally treated with aspirin or other NSAIDs?

A) mild to moderate pain
B) mild to moderate inflammation
C) fever in adults
D) asthma
E) recurrent heart attacks

Question 5

In theory,a COX-2 selective drug such as celecoxib will be less likely to cause gastric irritation because

A) COX-2 drugs are less acidic than traditional NSAIDs
B) COX-2 drugs do not inhibit the production of beneficial prostaglandins in the stomach
C) patients taking COX-2 drugs are older than patients taking traditional NSAIDs
D) COX-2 drugs are coated so that the drug does not dissolve until it reaches the small intestine.
E) all the above are true

Question 6

Aspirin and acetaminophen are different because

A) acetaminophen is less toxic to the liver than aspirin
B) acetaminophen is more toxic to the stomach than aspirin
C) acetaminophen does not have antipyretic effects
D) acetaminophen does not have anti-inflammatory effects
E) none of the above are true; aspirin and acetaminophen are virtually identical in terms of therapeutic effects and side effects

Question 7

NSAIDs exert their therapeutic effects by _____ the ______ enzyme.

A) inhibiting; cyclooxygenase
B) stimulating; cyclooxygenase
C) inhibiting; acetylcholinesterase
D) stimulating; acetylcholinesterase
E) inhibiting; monoamine oxidase type A

Question 8

NSAIDs such as aspirin exhibit all of the following effects EXCEPT

A) the ability to decrease inflammation
B) the ability to increase bronchodilation in conditions such as asthma
C) the ability to relieve mild-to-moderate pain (analgesia)
D) the ability to decrease the elevated body temperature associated with fever (antipyresis)
E) the ability to decrease blood clotting by inhibiting platelet aggregation (anticoagulation)

Question 9

High doses of acetaminophen (e.g.,15 g)can be especially toxic to the:

A) heart
B) liver
C) kidneys
D) stomach
E) brain

Question 10

Gastric irritation caused by aspirin and other NSAIDs can be treated with

A) drugs that mimic prostaglandins (PGs) such as PGE1 (e.g., misoprostol [Cytotec])
B) gastric proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) such as omeprazole (Prilosec) and esomeprazole (Nexium)
C) histamine type 2 (H2) blockers such as cimetidine (Tagamet) and ranitidine (Zantac)
D) all the above
E) none of the above

Question 11

The _____ form of the cyclooxygenase enzyme seems to be responsible for producing beneficial prostaglandins that help maintain or protect function in specific tissues such as the stomach and kidneys.

A) COX-1
B) COX-2
C) COX-3
D) COX-4
E) no prostaglandins are beneficial in any tissues

Question 12

The most common problem associated with NSAIDs such as aspirin is

A) fever
B) dizziness
C) gastrointestinal damage
D) sedation
E) suppression of adrenal cortex activity

Question 13

Aspirin ______ be used to treat fever in children because this drug may cause _____.

A) should; elevated body temperature
B) should not; elevated body temperature
C) should; Reye syndrome
D) should not; Reye syndrome
E) should; aspirin intoxication

Question 14

Prostaglandins are

A) small proteins that inhibit cellular inflammation
B) a specific type of lymphocyte involved in the inflammatory process
C) carbohydrates that regulate cell division
D) steroids that increase cellular metabolism
E) none of the above are true

Question 15

It has been suggested that aspirin and other NSAIDs _______ be used to treat pain following surgeries such as spinal fusion because these drugs may ______.

A) should not; inhibit bone healing
B) should; inhibit bone healing
C) should not; enhance bone healing
D) should; enhance bone healing
E) should not; cause excessive sedation and psychotropic effects (hallucinations, etc.)