1.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
A partial agonist at 5-HT1A receptors
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
2.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
A competitive antagonist at benzodiazepine receptors
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
3.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
A hypnotic drug with negligible effects on sleep architecture and stages
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
4.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
The most frequently used drug to induce general anesthesia
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
5.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
A benzodiazepine with a very short half life (.2 hours)
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
6.
Directions: questions 1-6
Match each sedative hypnotic drug with the appropriate description (each lettered option can be
selected once, more than once, or not at all):
An anxiolytic drug with negligible abuse liability
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
G. 
H. 
I. 
J. 
7.
A 54-year-old man was admitted to the hospital for a laparoscopic hernia repair under
general anesthesia. A suitable dose of diazepam was given IV and the patient lost
consciousness in two minutes. He regained consciousness about 45 minutes later.
Knowing that the half-life of diazepam is about 40 hours, which of the following phrases
best explains the short action of the drug?
A. 
Rapid metabolism of the drug within the CNS
B. 
Rapid excretion of the drug by the kidney
C. 
Redistribution of the drug from CNS to other tissues
D. 
Biotransformation of the drug to active metabolites by the liver
E. 
Development of a rapid tolerance to drug effects
8.
A 35-year-old man complained to his physician of attacks of intense terror during sleep,
such as feeling crushed, and often wakes up with scream, but cannot remember any
specific dream. He also felt anxious and restless from time to time during the day. Which
of the following drugs would show good short-term decrease of patient’s symptoms?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
9.
A 62-year-old woman recently diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder had been on
a treatment with venlafaxine but the therapy was stopped because of a persistent
headache that the psychiatrist thought drug related. A treatment with buspirone was
started. Which of the following brain regions was most likely involved in the therapeutic
effect of the drug?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
10.
A 66-year-old female who recently lost her husband told her physician that she was not
sleeping at night. Further questioning indicated that she did not have depression or
substance abuse. The physician decided to start a short treatment with a drug that acts by
increasing the inhibitory action of short interneurons in several brain areas. Which of the
following drug was most likely prescribed?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
11.
A 47-year-old woman complained to her physician that she could get to sleep when
she went to bed but woke up several times during the night an never felt refreshed in the
morning. The woman had no medical problems and took no medications. Which of the
following drugs would be appropriate for this patient?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
12.
A 25-year-old man, suffering from cerebral palsy and seizures secondary to a head
injury, was admitted to the hospital for a control visit. He was spastic and unable to walk.
Medical history indicated that, for the month prior to the visit to the hospital, his seizures
had not been well controlled. Which of the following drugs would be appropriate to
improve his seizure and muscle spasm?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
13.
A 66-year-old man, who had been an heavy smoker for 30 years, was undergoing
bronchoscopy for a suspected bronchogenic carcinoma. Before starting the intervention
the anesthesiologist administered a drug in order to prevent the situational anxiety and to
provide anterograde amnesia of the procedure. Which of the following drugs was most
likely given?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
14.
A 34-year-old woman rushed to the emergency room complaining that, ‘out of the
blue’, she had been seized by overwhelming symptoms. She felt light-headed, dizzy and
feared of losing control or going crazy. She also felt nausea, a lump in her throat,
shortness of breath and palpitations. The woman had never had similar symptoms in the
past and denied past or present use of any illicit drugs or alcohol. A preliminary diagnosis
was made and a drug was given IV to offset the patient’s symptoms. Which of the
following drugs was most likely given?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
15.
Benzodiazepines have many different effects on the CNS. However they are devoid of which of the following effects?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
16.
A 66-year-old man was brought to the hospital by his daughter who referred that he has been confused and lethargic during the last two days. Past history of the patient was significant for a transient ischemic attack three years ago, and for a long-lasting habit of drinking large quantities of grapefruit juice. Recently the patient became anxious and fearful of imminent death, and the physician prescribed alprazolam, two tablets daily.
Which of the following phrases best explains the most likely cause of the patient’s symptoms?
A. 
Grapefruit juice induced inhibition of alprazolam metabolism
B. 
Increased brain sensitivity to alprazolam due to previous ischemic attack
C. 
Grapefruit juice induced decrease of alprazolam elimination by the kidney
D. 
Increased brain sensitivity to alprazolam due to old age
E. 
Grapefruit juice induced increase of alprazolam intestinal absorption
17.
A 25-year-old man was brought into the emergency room in an unconscious state by his roommate. The roommate stated that the man was very depressed during the last few days and that he had been drinking whisky all day. The roommate also said he found an empty, not labeled drug bottle next to him on the bed. Which of the following drug most likely caused the patient’s intoxication?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
F. 
18.
A 61-year-old obese man complained of difficulty in falling asleep and asked his physician for a sleeping pill. The man had been recently diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, most likely due to obesity. Which of the following drugs would be contraindicated for this patient?
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
19.
A 45-year-old man recently diagnosed with a panic disorder, had started a treatment which sertraline but the drug caused some sexual dysfunction and the physician decided to switch to alprazolam, two tablet daily. Which of the following molecular actions on neuron membranes most likely mediated the therapeutic effect of the drug in the patient’s disorder?
A. 
Decreased outward Na+ current
B. 
Increased inward Cl- current
C. 
Decreased outward K+ current
D. 
Increased inward Ca++ current
E. 
Increased inward H+ current
20.
A 42-year-old man, suffering from rectal bleeding, was admitted to the hospital for a colonoscopy. An IV injection of diazepam was given before the procedure to induce a conscious sedation. Which of the following symptoms did the patient most likely experience upon recovery from sedation?
A. 
B. 
Increased respiratory rate
C. 
D. 
E.