ICAR AIEEA (PG): Master's entrance, Veterinary Science and Animal Sciences · India · NTA for ICAR
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersDrugs acting on the central nervous system: sedatives, tranquillisers, alpha-2 agonists, general and local anaesthetics, opioids, anticonvulsants and muscle relaxants.
In the exams: ICAR AICE-JRF core group 07; ICAR AIEEA-PG 13 (Pharmacology & Toxicology); BCSE anaesthesia 20-23 items
ICAR AIEEA-PG (Code 13, Pharmacology & Toxicology)
Mechanisms and classification: GABA-A actions of benzodiazepines and barbiturates, alpha-2 agonists and their antagonists, dissociative anaesthesia, blood:gas coefficients and MAC, ester versus amide local anaesthetics, opioid receptor types, anticonvulsant mechanisms, depolarising versus non-depolarising blockers.
How our questions for ICAR AIEEA spread across the units of Veterinary Neuropharmacology. Difficulty: 11 easy, 17 medium, 0 hard.
| Principles of CNS pharmacology | 4 | |
| Inhalant general anaesthetics | 4 | |
| Alpha-2 adrenergic agonists | 3 | |
| Injectable general anaesthetics | 3 | |
| Local anaesthetics | 3 | |
| Opioid analgesics | 3 | |
| Anticonvulsants | 3 | |
| Muscle relaxants | 3 | |
| Sedatives and tranquillisers | 2 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
Why does glycopyrrolate cause fewer central effects and less fetal effect than atropine?
C. It is a quaternary ammonium compound that crosses the blood-brain barrier and placenta poorly
Glycopyrrolate carries a permanent positive charge, so it crosses lipid barriers poorly. Atropine is a tertiary amine that crosses both barriers. Glycopyrrolate is still an antimuscarinic, not a nicotinic drug.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Why is midazolam preferred to diazepam for intramuscular injection?
A. Midazolam is water-soluble in the vial and absorbed reliably; diazepam, in propylene glycol, is erratic
Midazolam is water-soluble at the acidic pH of its solution and lipid-soluble at body pH; diazepam needs propylene glycol, which is painful and gives unpredictable intramuscular absorption.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
The typical early cardiovascular response to intravenous xylazine or medetomidine in a dog is:
C. Hypertension with reflex bradycardia, often with second-degree atrioventricular block
Peripheral alpha-2B vasoconstriction raises pressure and the baroreceptor reflex slows the heart; AV block is common. Pressure later falls with central sympatholysis. Cardiac output falls, not rises.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Dexmedetomidine is given at about half the mass dose of medetomidine because:
C. It is the pharmacologically active enantiomer of racemic medetomidine
Medetomidine is a racemate; dexmedetomidine is its active dextro-enantiomer, so half the mass gives similar effect. The levo-enantiomer contributes little.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Accidental perivascular injection of thiopental may cause tissue necrosis because the solution is:
A. Strongly alkaline
Thiopental sodium solution has a high pH and causes tissue irritation and slough if injected outside the vein. The lipid emulsion is propofol.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Adrenaline added to a local anaesthetic at 1:200,000 contains how many micrograms per mL?
C. 5 micrograms/mL
1:200,000 = 1 g in 200,000 mL = 0.005 mg/mL = 5 micrograms/mL. 50 and 0.5 micrograms/mL misplace the decimal when converting 0.005 mg to micrograms; 200 takes the dilution number itself.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Buprenorphine is classified as a:
A. Partial mu agonist with high receptor affinity
Buprenorphine has limited efficacy (a ceiling) but binds tightly, so it lasts long and is hard to reverse. Butorphanol is the kappa agonist and mu antagonist.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Naloxone given to reverse an opioid overdose may need repeating because:
B. Its duration is shorter than that of many opioids, so sedation can return
Naloxone is a pure antagonist with a short duration; the opioid may outlast it (renarcotisation), so patients are monitored and doses repeated.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Levetiracetam's anticonvulsant action is attributed to binding:
C. The vesicle protein SV2A
Levetiracetam binds SV2A, modulating vesicle release. Gabapentin and pregabalin bind alpha-2-delta; imepitoin acts at the benzodiazepine site.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
Guaifenesin is used in equine anaesthesia as a:
C. Centrally acting muscle relaxant, sparing the diaphragm at usual doses
Guaifenesin depresses polysynaptic reflexes in the spinal cord and brainstem, relaxing muscles while breathing continues; it has little analgesic or hypnotic effect and is combined with ketamine.
Further reading: Riviere & Papich, Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 10th ed.; Lumb and Jones' Veterinary Anesthesia and Analgesia, 6th ed.
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