Free Emergency Drugs and Antidotes MCQs with Answers

50 Emergency Drugs and Antidotes MCQs from Nursing Pharmacology, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.

Emergency pharmacology covers drugs used in cardiac arrest, shock, severe allergy, acute asthma, seizures, poisoning and hypoglycaemia, including adrenaline, atropine, naloxone, flumazenil and selected antidotes. The focus is on indications, routes, rapid adverse effects, dose safety and matching a toxic substance with its specific reversal agent.

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50 questions · page 2 of 3

Easy
  • A. Amiodarone
  • B. Adenosine
  • C. Verapamil
  • D. Digoxin

Explanation: Amiodarone is used for shock-refractory ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia during cardiac arrest.

Correct answer: Amiodarone
Hard
  • A. Calcium gluconate
  • B. Sodium bicarbonate
  • C. Furosemide
  • D. Oral potassium chloride

Explanation: Intravenous calcium gluconate stabilizes the myocardium during severe hyperkalaemia with ECG changes, but it does not remove potassium…

Correct answer: Calcium gluconate
Fairly easy
  • A. Magnesium sulfate
  • B. Calcium chloride
  • C. Atropine sulfate
  • D. Procainamide

Explanation: Intravenous magnesium sulfate is the standard emergency treatment for torsades de pointes, even when the serum magnesium level is not yet…

Correct answer: Magnesium sulfate
  • A. Vitamin K
  • B. Protamine sulfate
  • C. Naloxone
  • D. Desmopressin

Explanation: Vitamin K restores production of vitamin K dependent clotting factors and reverses warfarin effect, although its action is not immediate.

Correct answer: Vitamin K
Fairly easy
  • A. Glucagon
  • B. Flumazenil
  • C. Methylene blue
  • D. Pyridoxine

Explanation: Glucagon can improve heart rate and contractility in significant beta blocker toxicity because it increases intracellular cyclic AMP…

Correct answer: Glucagon
Fairly easy
  • A. Pyridoxine
  • B. Folic acid
  • C. Vitamin K
  • D. Calcium gluconate

Explanation: Isoniazid toxicity is treated with pyridoxine, also called vitamin B6, because isoniazid depletes active pyridoxine and promotes seizures.

Correct answer: Pyridoxine
  • A. Intravenous lipid emulsion
  • B. Intravenous vitamin K
  • C. Oral activated charcoal alone
  • D. Intravenous acetylcysteine

Explanation: Intravenous lipid emulsion is used in severe local anaesthetic systemic toxicity, together with airway support and seizure management.

Correct answer: Intravenous lipid emulsion
  • A. Sodium bicarbonate
  • B. Calcium gluconate
  • C. Naloxone
  • D. Atropine sulfate

Explanation: Intravenous sodium bicarbonate alkalinises serum and urine, increasing salicylate ionisation and renal elimination.

Correct answer: Sodium bicarbonate
  • A. Methylene blue
  • B. Hydroxocobalamin
  • C. Protamine sulfate
  • D. Glucagon

Explanation: Methylene blue reduces methemoglobin back to functional haemoglobin and is commonly used when symptoms are significant.

Correct answer: Methylene blue
Fairly easy
  • A. Dobutamine
  • B. Furosemide
  • C. Lidocaine
  • D. Adenosine

Explanation: Dobutamine is an inotropic medicine that increases myocardial contractility and can improve cardiac output in cardiogenic shock.

Correct answer: Dobutamine
Fairly easy
  • A. Magnesium sulfate
  • B. Vitamin K
  • C. Protamine sulfate
  • D. Calcium carbonate

Explanation: Intravenous magnesium sulfate can relax bronchial smooth muscle in severe asthma that responds poorly to initial treatment.

Correct answer: Magnesium sulfate
Hard
  • A. Intravenous calcium
  • B. Intravenous vitamin K
  • C. Oral activated charcoal alone
  • D. Intravenous methylene blue

Explanation: Intravenous calcium can improve myocardial contractility and vascular tone in serious calcium channel blocker poisoning.

Correct answer: Intravenous calcium
  • A. High-flow oxygen
  • B. Intramuscular atropine
  • C. Oral naloxone
  • D. Intravenous iron

Explanation: High-flow oxygen helps displace carbon monoxide from haemoglobin and should be started promptly when carbon monoxide poisoning is…

Correct answer: High-flow oxygen
Moderate
  • A. Fomepizole
  • B. Deferoxamine
  • C. Protamine sulfate
  • D. N-acetylcysteine

Explanation: Fomepizole inhibits alcohol dehydrogenase and reduces the formation of toxic methanol metabolites.

Correct answer: Fomepizole
  • A. Protect the airway before charcoal
  • B. Give charcoal with fruit juice
  • C. Induce vomiting before charcoal
  • D. Place the patient flat and give charcoal

Explanation: Airway protection comes first because charcoal can be aspirated by a patient who cannot swallow safely or protect the airway.

Correct answer: Protect the airway before charcoal
Hard
  • A. Acute withdrawal and seizures
  • B. Severe hypoglycaemia
  • C. Irreversible kidney failure
  • D. Profound platelet destruction

Explanation: Flumazenil can precipitate acute benzodiazepine withdrawal, including agitation and seizures, especially in dependent patients or mixed…

Correct answer: Acute withdrawal and seizures
  • A. Intravenous dextrose
  • B. Intramuscular vitamin K
  • C. Oral glucose tablets
  • D. Subcutaneous insulin

Explanation: Intravenous dextrose is appropriate for an unconscious patient with confirmed intravenous access because it raises blood glucose rapidly.

Correct answer: Intravenous dextrose
Moderate
  • A. Hydrocortisone
  • B. Furosemide
  • C. Digoxin
  • D. Warfarin

Explanation: Hydrocortisone may be used as an adjunct in severe allergic reactions, although its onset is slower than adrenaline.

Correct answer: Hydrocortisone
  • A. Fomepizole
  • B. Atropine
  • C. Calcium gluconate
  • D. Pralidoxime

Explanation: Fomepizole blocks alcohol dehydrogenase and limits production of toxic ethylene glycol metabolites.

Correct answer: Fomepizole
Very hard
  • A. Octreotide
  • B. Hydrocortisone
  • C. Glucagon
  • D. Calcium gluconate

Explanation: Octreotide suppresses pancreatic insulin release and is used for recurrent sulfonylurea-induced hypoglycaemia.

Correct answer: Octreotide