Test your knowledge of clinical pharmacy practice, laboratory data interpretation, and related concepts.
Test Your Knowledge
Showing questions 141 - 160 of 315
141. What does 'critical appraisal' in the context of research papers involve?
A more questioning or critical approach examines particular aspects of the paper and study design.
142. Which type of literature in drug information practice is characterized by providing unique experiences and original reports of research results?
Primary literature describes unique experiences which change the world in terms of available knowledge. Primary reports include the results of research at all levels and also clinical experience in the form of individual responses to drugs and small case series.
143. What is the significance of 'sampling time' when interpreting Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM) results?
Many factors influence serum drug concentration, including renal function, medication compliance, sampling time, genetic variability, protein binding, other drug therapy and co-morbidities.
144. What is the definition of 'pharmaceutical care'?
Define the terms clinical pharmacy and pharmaceutical care.
145. What is a potential disadvantage of having an Essential Medicines List (EML) that is often perceived, though not necessarily true?
However, the EML is often perceived as a list for the poor, though it is not.
146. Which of the following are examples of 'selective media' used in bacterial culture?
MacConkey, eosin methylene blue, colistin nalidixic acid, and phenylethyl alcohol agar plates are considered selective media because they preferentially support the growth of specific organisms.
147. What is the meaning of 'metabolic induction'?
Metabolic induction: A process whereby a compound increases the amount of a metabolising enzyme to increase the rate of metabolism.
148. What is a core responsibility for pharmacists in educating patients about their medications?
Educating patients about the safe and effective use of their medications is a core responsibility for both hospital and community pharmacists.
149. What type of patients may require therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) as per the 'Paediatric Pharmacy Practice' chapter?
Examples of patients with high pharmacy acuity of care would include those on drugs which require therapeutic drug monitoring, those with worsening renal and/or hepatic function which impacts drug dosing or those with infectious diseases who require multiple antibiotics.
150. What is a crucial factor for clinical pharmacists to possess for effective ward round participation in teaching hospitals?
Pharmacists need to possess excellent clinical knowledge and communication skills to participate effectively in ward rounds in teaching hospitals.
151. What is a common strategy for improving medication adherence, as outlined in the sources?
You also decide to use a provider based intervention and organise a symposium for physicians involved in the programme on communication skills and the doctor–patient relationship by an expert in the field.
152. What type of anemia is commonly associated with chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)?
Chronic inflammatory diseases such as RA and SLE are commonly associated with anemia (low hemoglobin and hematocrit). The RBC indices often indicate that the anemia is normochromic and normocytic; this is often referred to as anemia of chronic disease or anemia of inflamma-tion.
153. What is the primary method for confirming the diagnosis of chronic bacterial prostatitis when EPS cultures are negative?
Finally, it should be noted that when chronic prostatitis is strongly sus-pected, but EPS cultures are negative, semen specimens have been used as a substitute for EPS. However, semen cultures are only positive in approximately 50% of men with chronic bacte-rial prostatitis.
154. What is the expected outcome of a well-functioning Ethics Committee (EC) in clinical research?
As new members are recruited into any EC, it becomes necessary for training in the review process as well as to inculcate an understanding of their roles and responsibilities so that the EC becomes compliant with relevant guidelines in letter and spirit.
155. When evaluating a pharmacoeconomic study, what does 'sensitivity analysis' test the robustness of?
Sensitivity analysis is used to test the robustness of assumptions to uncertainties in the measurement of costs and consequences.
156. Which type of clinical research evaluation is used to compare two or more alternatives and attempts to link both costs and effects?
If a PE evaluation comprises a comparison of two or more alternatives and attempts to link both costs and effects, then these evaluations are considered full economic evaluations.
157. What is a key factor that influences the total clearance of drugs like theophylline and digoxin, as highlighted in the pharmacokinetics section?
As we saw with theophylline in Case Studies 2 and 3, the clearance of digoxin may vary considerably among patients due to a variety of reasons, including alteration of renal function and presence of CHF. Also, for theophylline, clearance may be affected by disease and drug interactions.
158. What are 'RDTs' (Rapid Diagnostic Tests) for malaria, and what is a limitation mentioned?
Such immunologic (‘immunochromatographic’) tests most often use a dipstick or cassette format, and provide results in 2–15 minutes. While malaria RDTs are currently used in some clinical settings and programmes, their widespread adoption is hindered by several issues including the need for improved accuracy, reduced cost and proven reliability under adverse field conditions... In some infections with lower numbers of malaria parasites circulating in the patient’s bloodstream, RDTs may not be able to detect the parasite.
159. What is the primary method for monitoring response to therapy for Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia (CML) and counting the number of cells with the BCR-ABL gene?
RT-PCR testing, which is the most sensitive test for monitoring response to therapy and counts the number of cells that contain the BCR-ABL gene (it can be done on either blood or bone marrow cells). Testing with RT-PCR is referred to as molecular monitoring and responses are called molecular responses.
160. Which of the following describes a key element for successful communication, as identified in the learning objectives for communication skills?
The learning objectives state: 'Identify the key elements for successful communication'.