PTCE Exam Dumps - Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT) Exam

Look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) medications are drugs that areeasily confused due to similar spelling or pronunciation, which increases the risk of medication errors.

Citalopram(Celexa) →Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) used for depression

Celecoxib(Celebrex) →Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for pain and inflammation

Why Are Citalopram and Celecoxib Considered LASA?Both drugs sharesimilar spelling and pronunciation, increasing the chance of errors inprescribing, dispensing, and administration.

Example of potential errors: A patient withdepressionmay mistakenly receiveCelecoxib (NSAID)instead ofCitalopram (antidepressant), leading to untreated depression and unnecessary NSAID use.

A. Lisinopril and Metoprolol❌→Different drug classes, butnot commonly confused.

Lisinopril(ACE inhibitor for blood pressure)

Metoprolol(Beta-blocker for blood pressure and heart conditions)

C. Acebutolol and Acetazolamide❌→Although their names look similar, they haveless common confusion in clinical practice.

Acebutolol(Beta-blocker)

Acetazolamide(Diuretic for glaucoma, altitude sickness)

D. Naproxen and Misoprostol❌→These are oftenprescribed togetherbut arenot confused with each other.

Naproxen(NSAID for pain)

Misoprostol(Used to protect the stomach from NSAID-induced ulcers)

Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) LASA List– ConfirmsCitalopram and Celecoxibas common look-alike/sound-alike drugs.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers error prevention strategies, including LASA medications.

FDA Medication Error Prevention Guidelines– Recommends usingTall Man Lettering(e.g.,CeleXib vs. CitaloPram) to differentiate LASA drugs.

Why Not the Other Options?Key References:

Incompatibility in a nonsterile compound can be identified through various physical, chemical, and therapeutic changes.An unexpected change in odoris a key indicator of chemical instability, contamination, or degradation of a compounded preparation. Some ingredients may break down into volatile compounds, leading to noticeable odor changes.

A. A clear solution→ Incorrect; clarity alone does not indicate incompatibility.Some solutions may be clear but still chemically unstable.

B. The use of a pH buffer system→ Incorrect; buffer systems are used to maintain pH stability and prevent incompatibility rather than indicate it.

D. Suspension particles settling to the bottom of a container→ Incorrect; suspensions naturally settle and require shaking before use.This is not necessarily a sign of incompatibility.

Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

USP <795> Pharmaceutical Compounding—Nonsterile Preparations

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Medication Safety & Quality Assurance)

Remington: The Science and Practice of Pharmacy

Methotrexateis achemotherapy agentand animmunosuppressantused for cancer and autoimmune diseases.

It is classified ashazardous pharmaceutical wasteunderResource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)due to itstoxicity.

It must be disposed of followingEPA guidelines for hazardous waste disposal.

📌Reference:RCRA hazardous waste disposal regulations;USP <800> guidelines for hazardous drugs.

Root-Cause Analysis (RCA)is asystematic processused inhealthcare and pharmacy settingstoidentify the underlying factors that contributed to an error or safety event. RCA helps pharmacy staff determinewhy a problem occurredand implement corrective actions toprevent future occurrences.

Identify the problem or event.

Gather and analyze data.

Determine the root cause(s).

Develop and implement corrective actions.

Monitor for improvement and prevention of recurrence.

A. Determine which medication should be dispensed→ Incorrect; RCA is focused onerror investigation, not routine dispensing decisions.

B. Decipher prescriber handwriting during order entry→ Incorrect; this is not the purpose of RCA, though poor handwriting may be identified as a contributing factor in an error.

C. Increase pharmacy revenue and inventory turnover→ Incorrect; RCA is aboutpatient safety and error prevention, not financial performance.

Steps in Root-Cause Analysis (RCA):Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices) RCA Guidelines

FDA Medication Error Prevention Strategies

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Quality Assurance & Medication Safety)

Amlodipine(10 mg) anddiltiazem(30 mg) are bothcalcium channel blockers (CCBs)used to treat hypertension and angina.

When a patient is prescribed two medications from the same therapeutic class, the pharmacy's prescription processing system may flag this as"therapeutic duplication."

This alert is meant toprevent potential adverse effectssuch as excessive lowering of blood pressure or heart rate.

A. Prior authorization required→ Not applicable unless the insurance requires special approval before covering the drug.

C. NDC not covered→ Would appear if the specific drug product (based on its National Drug Code) is not covered by insurance, but this scenario relates to duplication, not coverage.

D. Refill too soon→ This applies to refilling a medication before the allowed time frame, but the scenario describes a new prescription.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline – Drug Interactions and Therapeutic Duplication

Lexicomp and Micromedex Drug Databases– Reference sources for drug classifications.

ISMP Guidelines on Preventing Therapeutic Duplication Errors

Why Other Answers Are Incorrect?Pharmacy Technician References:

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A medication'sstabilityrefers tohow well it maintains potency, effectiveness, and safety over time. Several factors candegrade medications, includingoxygen, moisture, temperature, and light.

Oxygen exposurecan causeoxidation, leading to drug degradation and loss of potency.

Many medications, especiallyvitamins (e.g., vitamin C), biologics, and certain antibiotics, are susceptible to oxidative damage.

Medications requiring protection from oxygen are often packaged inair-tight containersorblister packs.

A. Allergies→ Incorrect; allergies affect thepatient, not the drug’sstability.

B. Equivalence→ Incorrect; equivalence refers tobioavailabilitybetween generic and brand-name drugs, not drug stability.

D. Indications→ Incorrect; indications refer toapproved uses of a drug, not factors affecting its stability.

Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

USP <797> and <795> Guidelines on Medication Stability

FDA Drug Stability and Shelf Life Guidelines

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Medication Storage & Stability)

Look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) medications pose asignificant risk of medication errors. To reduce this risk, pharmacies should:

Use both brand and generic nameson labels to clarify drug identity.

Example:"Celexa (Citalopram)" vs. "Celebrex (Celecoxib)."

B. Place the drug next to another look-alike/sound-alike drug on the shelf if they are alphabetical.❌→Incorrect

LASA drugs shouldnotbe stored next to each other.

Example:Hydroxyzine and Hydralazine should be stored separatelyto avoid mix-ups.

C. Review the first five digits of the NDC to confirm the correct product.❌→Incorrect

The first five digits (manufacturer code) only identify the manufacturer, not the specific drug.

Instead, checking theentire NDC (all 10-11 digits) is necessary.

D. Take hazardous drug precautions.❌→Incorrect

LASA errors are a labeling issue, not a hazardous drug issue.

Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) LASA Guidelines– Recommends usingboth brand and generic names on labels.

FDA & Joint Commission LASA Drug Safety Recommendations– Emphasizes labeling improvements for LASA drugs.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers medication safety and error prevention strategies.

Why Not the Other Options?Key References:

A potential error is a mistake that is identified and corrected before it reaches the patient.

Example:A technician fillshydralazineinstead ofhydroxyzine, but the pharmacist catches the mistake before dispensing.

📌Reference:ISMP Medication Error Categories, PTCE Pharmacy Error Prevention Guide.