Free Substance Use Disorders MCQs with Answers

• A. Start it while feeling fully comfortable
• B. Start it when moderate withdrawal begins
• C. Start it immediately after the last opioid
• D. Start it only after withdrawal has ended

Explanation: Buprenorphine is usually started when moderate opioid withdrawal is present.

• A. Place the patient in a side-lying position
• B. Insert a padded oral airway immediately
• C. Restrain the patient's arms and legs
• D. Offer water after the seizure begins

Explanation: Side-lying positioning helps maintain the airway and reduces aspiration risk during a seizure.

• A. I can drink alcohol after missing one dose
• B. I must avoid alcohol in drinks and medicines
• C. I should take extra tablets after drinking alcohol
• D. I can safely use alcohol-based mouthwash daily

Explanation: Disulfiram can cause an unpleasant and potentially severe reaction when alcohol is consumed.

• A. Give naloxone and wait several hours at home
• B. Give naloxone, call emergency services, and monitor breathing
• C. Give a sedative if the person becomes restless
• D. Place the person alone in a sitting position

Explanation: Naloxone can temporarily reverse opioid respiratory depression, but its effect may wear off before the opioid does.

• A. The patient reports mild constipation
• B. The patient has used heroin earlier today
• C. The patient has occasional difficulty sleeping
• D. The patient reports a remote ankle injury

Explanation: Naltrexone can precipitate severe withdrawal if opioids are still present in the body, and it will block the effects of opioid analgesics.

• A. Increased appetite and excessive sleep
• B. Irritability, insomnia, and reduced appetite
• C. Pinpoint pupils and slow respirations
• D. Severe hypertension with chest pain

Explanation: Cannabis withdrawal commonly includes irritability, anxiety, sleep disturbance, decreased appetite, and restlessness.

• A. Do you drink only with close friends?
• B. How often have you had six or more drinks on one occasion?
• C. Do you prefer beer instead of spirits?
• D. Have you ever disliked the taste of alcohol?

Explanation: Asking about episodes of heavy drinking helps identify hazardous alcohol use and is part of validated screening approaches.

• A. Cardiac dysrhythmia from toxic exposure
• B. Severe hypoglycaemia from insulin release
• C. Respiratory infection from tobacco smoke
• D. Kidney stones from excess calcium intake

Explanation: Inhalants can cause sudden cardiac dysrhythmias and death through toxic effects on the myocardium.

• A. Abrupt stopping is always safest in pregnancy
• B. Medication treatment with close prenatal care is recommended
• C. Treatment should wait until after delivery
• D. Only psychological counselling is used during pregnancy

Explanation: Opioid use disorder during pregnancy is treated with medication such as methadone or buprenorphine together with prenatal and addiction…

• A. Detoxification alone usually prevents future relapse
• B. Ongoing treatment is needed after withdrawal management
• C. Relapse prevention is unnecessary after supervised detoxification
• D. Family support should replace all professional treatment

Explanation: Detoxification manages acute intoxication or withdrawal but does not by itself treat the causes of substance use disorder.

• A. A clinically significant, reversible syndrome after recent substance use
• B. A persistent need for higher doses to produce the same effect
• C. A physical state that occurs only after stopping a substance
• D. A pattern of use that always includes physical withdrawal

Explanation: Intoxication is a temporary, substance-specific syndrome that develops during or soon after use and affects mental or physical…

• A. Clonidine
• B. Flumazenil
• C. Disulfiram
• D. Acamprosate

Explanation: Clonidine, an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist, can reduce sweating, restlessness, tachycardia, and other autonomic symptoms of opioid…

• A. Continue observing respiratory status
• B. Offer a large meal immediately
• C. Administer a sedative for restlessness
• D. Allow the patient to leave without reassessment

Explanation: Naloxone may wear off before the opioid, so respiratory depression can return after the initial response.

• A. Alcoholic hallucinosis
• B. Delirium tremens
• C. Alcohol intoxication
• D. Opioid withdrawal

Explanation: Alcoholic hallucinosis may cause visual or auditory hallucinations while consciousness and orientation remain relatively clear.

• A. Provide a calm, low-stimulation environment
• B. Argue firmly that the fears are unrealistic
• C. Leave the patient alone in an unlocked room
• D. Encourage strenuous exercise to remove the drug

Explanation: A quiet environment, reassurance, and observation reduce anxiety and stimulation during cannabis intoxication.

• A. The result proves current impairment
• B. The result confirms cannabis exposure but not current impairment
• C. The result proves the patient used cannabis in the hospital
• D. The result confirms a cannabis overdose

Explanation: Cannabis metabolites can remain detectable after the impairing effects have ended, especially with repeated use.

• A. A single lapse means treatment can no longer help
• B. The lapse is information to review and a chance to resume the plan
• C. You should stop discussing the problem until you feel stronger
• D. You must avoid all treatment until the next assessment

Explanation: A lapse should prompt a nonjudgmental review of triggers, coping skills, and safety, followed by rapid return to the recovery plan.

• A. Acamprosate
• B. Naloxone
• C. Flumazenil
• D. Clonidine

Explanation: Acamprosate helps maintain abstinence by reducing some protracted withdrawal symptoms and craving after alcohol withdrawal has been…

• A. It is a partial opioid agonist with a ceiling effect on respiratory depression
• B. It is a pure opioid antagonist that immediately prevents withdrawal
• C. It is a sedative that treats alcohol withdrawal seizures
• D. It is a stimulant that increases dopamine release in the brain

Explanation: Buprenorphine is a partial mu-opioid receptor agonist used in opioid use disorder treatment, with less respiratory depression than full…

• A. A previous withdrawal seizure
• B. Occasional morning fatigue
• C. A preference for sweet foods
• D. A history of mild alcohol flushing

Explanation: A previous alcohol withdrawal seizure indicates increased risk of recurrent seizures and severe withdrawal during a later episode.