North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) - Test prep

Acetaminophen is metabolized by choices A through D. The major route is glucuronidation catalyzed by UDP- glucuronyl transferase in the liver. Sulfation is the next most common route and is the target mechanism for NAC therapy. Oxidation by cytochrome P-450 results in the formation of N-acetyl-p- benzoquinone imine, which is responsible for the hepatic necrosis caused by acetaminophen<br />
overdose. Direct renal excretion represents approximately 5% of the metabolism of acetaminophen.<br />
Plasma metabolism of acetaminophen does not generally occur.

This patient shows symptoms of acute sinusitis. The most common etiology of which is viruses. Indications that an infection is viral as opposed to bacterial included a shorter infection tie (less than 10 days) and no purulent discharge (hers is watery). She does not show any evidence of a complication developing and even notes that her symptoms are improving. If her symptoms were attributed to a bacterium, then the most common cause of acute sinusitis is Streptococcus pneumoniae followed by Haemophilus influenza, then Moraxella catarrhalis. Anaerobic species such as Bacteroides fragilis and Staphylococcus aureus are more commonly found in patients with chronic sinusitis (sinusitis lasting longer than 12 weeks). This is important to realize before indiscriminately providing antibiotics for these patients.

In older adults, selection of antidepressant medication should be done with various considerations in mind, most notably side effects and risk of drug-drug interactions. The tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), as discussed on

This patient had hyperthyroidism, though the exact cause of her condition is not currently clear. The immediate treatment should focus on controlling the patient’s symptoms for which a non-specific beta-blocker is seemingly an ideal choice. Propranolol therapy can be initiated without any adverse effects while the patient undergoes further workup of her condition. As the treatment for hyperthyroidism varies depending upon the cause of the condition, more definitive therapy should be avoided. Diltiazem (choice A) helps control heart rate but does not have the same antiadrenegenic properties as beta-blockers/ The initial treatment for symptomatic hyperthyroidism is propranolol. Iodine (choice B) can be used in high doses to inhibit thyroid production of T3 and T4. Until it’s clear that this patient does not have an exogenous source of thyroid hormone (and until it is clear she is not pregnant), this agent should not be considered. Propylthiouracil (PTU) and Methimazole (choice C) inhibit the organification of iodine to tyrosine residues. If this patient has Graves diseases, this would be an appropriate treatment. Until a diagnosis is made, however, initial therapy should consist of a beta- blocker. Surgical treatment (choice E) of hyperthyroidism is often a reasonable treatment for patients who cannot tolerate medical therapy of radioactive iodine ablation.