Phosphodiesterase inhibitors — MCQs

A 66-year-old gentleman presents to a new primary care physician to establish care after a recent relocation. His past medical history is significant for gout, erectile dysfunction, osteoarthritis of bilateral knees, mitral stenosis, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. He denies any past surgeries along with the use of any tobacco, alcohol, or illicit drugs. He has no known drug allergies and cannot remember the names of the medications he is taking for his medical problems. He states that he has recently been experiencing chest pain with strenuous activities. What part of the patient's medical history must be further probed before starting him on a nitrate for chest pain?

A 70-year-old male presents to his primary care provider complaining of decreased sexual function. He reports that over the past several years, he has noted a gradual decline in his ability to sustain an erection. He used to wake up with erections but no longer does. His past medical history is notable for diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and a prior myocardial infarction. He takes metformin, glyburide, aspirin, and atorvastatin. He drinks 2-3 drinks per week and has a 25 pack-year smoking history. He has been happily married for 40 years. He retired from his job as a construction worker 5 years ago and has been enjoying retirement with his wife. His physician recommends starting a medication that is also used in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Which of the following is a downstream effect of this medication?

A 70-year-old man presents to an urgent care clinic with bilateral flank pain for the past 2 days. During the last week, he has been experiencing some difficulty with urination, which prevented him from leaving his home. Now, he has to go to the bathroom 4–5 times per hour and he wakes up multiple times during the night to urinate. He also complains of straining and difficulty initiating urination with a poor urinary stream. The temperature is 37.5°C (99.5°F), the blood pressure is 125/90 mm Hg, the pulse is 90/min, and the respiratory rate is 18/min. The physical examination showed bilateral flank tenderness and palpable kidneys bilaterally. A digital rectal exam revealed a smooth, severely enlarged prostate without nodules. A CT scan is obtained. He is prescribed a drug that will alleviate his symptoms by reducing the size of the prostate. Which of the following best describes the mechanism of action of this drug?

A 52-year-old man with a history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia comes to the physician because of a 10-month history of substernal chest pain on exertion that is relieved with rest. His pulse is 82/min and blood pressure is 145/82 mm Hg. He is prescribed a drug that acts by forming free radical nitric oxide. The patient is most likely to experience which of the following adverse effects as a result of this drug?

A 65-year-old male with a history of CHF presents to the emergency room with shortness of breath, lower leg edema, and fatigue. He is diagnosed with acute decompensated congestive heart failure, was admitted to the CCU, and treated with a medication that targets beta-1 adrenergic receptors preferentially over beta-2 adrenergic receptors. The prescribing physician explained that this medication would only be used temporarily as its efficacy decreases within 2-3 days due to receptor downregulation. Which of the following was prescribed?

The drug cilostazol is known for its ability to relax vascular smooth muscle and therefore cause vasodilation through its inhibition of phosphodiesterase 3. Given this mechanism of action, what other effect would be expected?

A 52-year-old man is seen by his endocrinologist for routine followup of his type 2 diabetes. Although he has previously been on a number of medication regimens, his A1C has remained significantly elevated. In order to try to better control his glucose level, the endocrinologist prescribes a new medication. He explains that this new medication works by blocking the ability of his kidneys to reabsorb glucose and therefore causes glucose wasting in the urine. Which of the following medications has this mechanism of action?

A researcher is studying how arachidonic acid metabolites mediate the inflammatory response in rats. She has developed multiple enzyme inhibitors that specifically target individual proteins in the arachidonic acid pathway. She injects these inhibitors in rats who have been exposed to common bacterial pathogens and analyzes their downstream effects. In one of her experiments, she injects a leukotriene B4 inhibitor into a rat and observes an abnormal cell response. Which of the following interleukins would most closely restore the function of one of the missing products?

A 66-year-old male with a history of deep venous thrombosis is admitted to the hospital with shortness of breath and pleuritic chest pain. He is treated with an anticoagulant, but he develops significant hematochezia. His BP is now 105/60 and HR is 117; both were within normal limits on admission. The effects of the anticoagulant are virtually completely reversed with the administration of protamine. Which of the following was the anticoagulant most likely administered to this patient?

A 59-year-old woman comes to the clinic complaining of an intermittent, gnawing epigastric pain for the past 2 months. The pain is exacerbated with food and has been getting progressively worse. The patient denies any weight changes, nausea, vomiting, cough, or dyspepsia. Medical history is significant for chronic back pain for which she takes ibuprofen. Her father passed at the age of 55 due to pancreatic cancer. Labs were unremarkable except for a mild decrease in hemoglobin. What medication is most appropriate to be switched to from the current medication at this time?