Free Practice Questions for PTCB PTCE Exam

Aricept (Donepezil) is a cholinesterase inhibitorused for treatingmild, moderate, or severe Alzheimer's disease dementia.

Itworks by increasing acetylcholine levels in the brain, improving memory and cognitive function.

FDA-approved for all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

B. Azilect❌→Used for Parkinson’s disease, not Alzheimer's.

Azilect (Rasagiline) is a monoamine oxidase-B (MAO-B) inhibitorthat helps manage Parkinson’s symptoms but is not indicated for dementia.

C. Ambien❌→Used for insomnia, not Alzheimer's dementia.

Ambien (Zolpidem) is a sedative-hypnotic for sleep disordersand does not treat cognitive decline.

D. Atacand❌→Used for hypertension, not dementia.

Atacand (Candesartan) is an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure.

FDA Approved Uses for Donepezil (Aricept)– Confirms its indication for all stages of Alzheimer’s disease.

Alzheimer’s Association Treatment Guidelines– Listscholinesterase inhibitors as first-line therapy for dementia.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers pharmacologic treatments for cognitive disorders.

Why Not the Other Options?Key References:

To determine the correct volume of amoxicillin suspension per dose, use the given concentration and dose.

Prescription dose:150 mg per dose

Suspension concentration:250 mg per 5 mL

Formula to calculate volume needed:Volume (mL)=Prescribed dose (mg)Concentration (mg/mL)\text{Volume (mL)} = \frac{\text{Prescribed dose (mg)}}{\text{Concentration (mg/mL)}}Volume (mL)=Concentration (mg/mL)Prescribed dose (mg)​

Step 1: Identify Given InformationStep 2: Calculate150 mg250 mg/5 mL=150×5250=750250=3 mL\frac{150 \text{ mg}}{250 \text{ mg/5 mL}} = \frac{150 \times 5}{250} = \frac{750}{250} = 3 \text{ mL}250 mg/5 mL150 mg​=250150×5​=250750​=3 mL

Thus, the patient should take3 mL per dose.

B. 4 mL→ Incorrect; this would correspond to a different strength.

C. 5 mL→ Incorrect; this would deliver250 mg, which is incorrect.

D. 6 mL→ Incorrect; this would deliver300 mg, exceeding the prescribed dose.

Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Pharmaceutical Calculations – Dosage & Volume Calculations)

USP <795> Guidelines for Nonsterile Compounding & Drug Dilution

Lexicomp Drug Monograph for Amoxicillin Suspension

Before dispensing a prescription, pharmacy technicians and pharmacists must ensure that it iscomplete, clear, and unambiguousto avoid medication errors.

Medication:Lisinopril

Strength:20 mg (Clear)

Route:PO (by mouth) (Clear)

Directions:Take 1 tab PO q8h (every 8 hours)❌(Needs Clarification)

Quantity:30 tablets (Clear)

Refills:12 (Needs verification but is not the main issue)

Lisinopril is an ACE inhibitorused for hypertension and heart failure.

Standard dosing is once daily (q24h), not every 8 hours (q8h).

A frequency of q8h (three times daily) is unusual and could be a prescribing error.

Pharmacists must verify with the prescriber before dispensing.

(A) Directions for use✅Correct – "q8h" is incorrect for lisinopril and needs clarification.

(B) Medication strength❌Incorrect – "20 mg" is a standard strength for lisinopril.

(C) Route of administration❌Incorrect – "PO" (by mouth) is correct.

(D) Number of refills❌Incorrect – While 12 refills is uncommon for chronic medications, it is not the primary issue.

Lisinopril Prescribing Information (FDA): https://www.accessdata.fda.gov

Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) – High-Alert Medications:https://www.ismp.org

PTCB Exam Content Outline – Prescription Processing & Clarification

Analysis of the Prescription:Why the Directions Need Clarification:Analysis of Answer Choices:References for Pharmacy Technicians:

Lipitor is the brand name forAtorvastatin, aHMG-CoA reductase inhibitor (statin)used to lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

(A) Provastatin❌Incorrect –Misspelled, should bePravastatin(Pravachol).

(B) Fluvastatin❌Incorrect – Fluvastatin (Lescol) is another statin, but not the generic for Lipitor.

(C) Simvastatin❌Incorrect – Simvastatin (Zocor) is a statin but not the generic for Lipitor.

(D) Atorvastatin✅Correct – The generic name for Lipitor.

Analysis of Answer Choices:Statins & Their Brand Names:Generic Name

Brand Name

Atorvastatin

Lipitor✅

Simvastatin

Zocor

Pravastatin

Pravachol

Fluvastatin

Lescol

Rosuvastatin

Crestor

Lovastatin

Mevacor

Lipitor Prescribing Information: https://www.pfizer.com/products/product-detail/lipitor

PTCB Exam Content Outline – Generic & Brand Name Drug Recognition

Pharmacology for Pharmacy Technicians, 3rd Edition – Perspective on Statin Medications

References for Pharmacy Technicians:

Cytoxan (cyclophosphamide)belongs to thechemotherapy agentdrug classification. It is analkylating agentused to treat various types ofcancer, including:

Leukemia

Lymphoma

Breast cancer

Ovarian cancer

It works byinterfering with DNA replication in rapidly dividing cells, preventing cancer growth.

A. ACE inhibitor❌→Incorrect

ACE inhibitors (angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors)are used forhypertension and heart failure(e.g., lisinopril, enalapril).

C. Antibiotic❌→Incorrect

Antibioticstreatbacterial infections(e.g., amoxicillin, azithromycin).

D. Narcotic❌→Incorrect

Narcotics (opioids) are pain relievers(e.g., morphine, oxycodone).Cytoxan is not an opioid.

National Cancer Institute (NCI) Drug Dictionary– ClassifiesCytoxan as an alkylating chemotherapy agent.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers chemotherapy drugs and their classifications.

FDA Drug Classification Guidelines– Lists Cytoxan as acytotoxic antineoplastic (chemotherapy) drug.

Why Not the Other Options?Key References:

To determine the total number of10 mg prednisone tabletsrequired to fill the prescription, let's break it down by daily dosing:

First 2 days→ 20 mgtwice daily(b.i.d) =40 mg per day

Total for 2 days:40 mg × 2 =80 mg

Next 2 days→ 20 mgonce daily=20 mg per day

Total for 2 days:20 mg × 2 =40 mg

Next 2 days→ 10 mgonce daily=10 mg per day

Total for 2 days:10 mg × 2 =20 mg

Final 2 days→ 5 mgonce daily=5 mg per day

Total for 2 days:5 mg × 2 =10 mg

Days 1–4:(20 mg doses) → Each 20 mg dose requirestwo 10 mg tablets

Total for these 4 days:(20 mg × 4 days) = 80 mg

Tablets required:80 mg ÷ 10 mg =8 tablets

Days 5–6:(10 mg doses) → Each day requiresone 10 mg tablet

Total for these 2 days:10 mg × 2 =20 mg

Tablets required:20 mg ÷ 10 mg =2 tablets

Days 7–8:(5 mg doses) → Each day requireshalf of a 10 mg tablet

Total for these 2 days:5 mg × 2 =10 mg

Tablets required:1 full tablet (split into halves for two doses)

Step 1: Understanding the Prescription DirectionsStep 2: Determining the Number of 10 mg Tablets NeededFinal Calculation:8 tablets (Days 1-4) + 2 tablets (Days 5-6) + 1 tablet (Days 7-8) = 15 tablets

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers dosage calculations, unit conversions, and prescription interpretation.

Basic Pharmacy Math Principles– Ensuring proper medication dispensing based on prescription instructions.

Pharmacy Practice Guidelines– Proper dispensing techniques for titration therapy, such as steroid tapering.

Key References:

AMaster Formulation Record (MFR)is adetailed document used in compounding pharmaciesto ensureconsistency, accuracy, and quality controlin preparing compounded medications.

An MFR includes:

Ingredients & amounts required.

Compounding procedures.

Stability and beyond-use dating (BUD).

Storage and labeling instructions.

This ensures that each compounded preparationmeets quality standardsand ismade correctly every time.

B. Prevent drug diversion❌→Incorrect

Drug diversion prevention involves security measures, inventory control, and trackingcontrolled substances, not MFRs.

C. Eliminate patient profiles❌→Incorrect

Patient profiles are essential for tracking medication history; MFRs are unrelated.

D. Guarantee drug availability❌→Incorrect

MFRs do not affect drug supply; they ensure accurate compounding.

USP <795> (Non-Sterile Compounding Guidelines)– RequiresMaster Formulation Records for all compounded preparations.

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline– Covers compounding procedures and quality control measures.

Why Not the Other Options?Key References:

Oxaprozinis anonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)used to treat arthritis. It is listed on theISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices) List of Confused Drug Namesdue to its similarity toTopamax (topiramate), an anticonvulsant used for epilepsy and migraine prevention. The confusion arises because both drug nameslook and sound similar, which can lead to dispensing errors.

A. Tobradex→ Incorrect. Tobradex is anantibiotic/steroid ophthalmic medicationand is not confused with oxaprozin.

C. Tradjenta→ Incorrect. Tradjenta (linagliptin) is aDPP-4 inhibitor for diabetesand is not commonly confused with oxaprozin.

D. Trileptal→ Incorrect. Trileptal (oxcarbazepine) is ananticonvulsantbut is not on the ISMP Confused Drug List with oxaprozin.

Incorrect Answer Choices:Pharmacy Technician References:

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Error Prevention and Look-Alike/Sound-Alike (LASA) Drugs)

Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) List of Confused Drug Names

FDA Drug Safety Communications

Mosby’s Pharmacy Technician Exam Review

To determine the required volume of U-100 insulin to administer a20-unitdose ofNPH insulin, we use the concentration definition:

U-100 insulinmeans100 units per 1 ml

We need20 units

Using the formula:

Volume (ml)=Dose (units)Concentration (units/ml)\text{Volume (ml)} = \frac{\text{Dose (units)}}{\text{Concentration (units/ml)}}Volume (ml)=Concentration (units/ml)Dose (units)​Volume=20 units100 units/ml=0.2 ml\text{Volume} = \frac{20 \text{ units}}{100 \text{ units/ml}} = 0.2 \text{ ml}Volume=100 units/ml20 units​=0.2 ml

Thus, the correct answer is0.2 ml.

A. 0.02 ml→ Incorrect; this would correspond to only 2 units.

B. 1 ml→ Incorrect; this would correspond to 100 units, far exceeding the prescribed dose.

D. 2 ml→ Incorrect; this would correspond to 200 units, which is incorrect.

Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Pharmaceutical Calculations)

USP <797> Pharmaceutical Compounding—Sterile Preparations

American Pharmacists Association (APhA) Pharmacy Technician Certification Review

Sertraline (Zoloft)is anSSRI antidepressantused formajor depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety, and other mood disorders.Suicidal ideation(thoughts of self-harm) is aserious and potentially life-threatening side effect, especially inyoung adults. A pharmacy technicianmust notify the pharmacist immediatelyif a patient reportssuicidal thoughts, as this may require immediate medical intervention.

A. Presents new insurance coverage→ Incorrect; this is an administrative issue, not a clinical concern.

B. Requests the refill two days early→ Incorrect; a slight early refill request does not indicate a safety concern.

D. Reports improved interest and motivation→ Incorrect; this is apositive treatment response, not an urgent issue.

Other Answer Choices Explained:References:

FDA Black Box Warning for SSRIs – Suicide Risk in Young Adults

PTCB PTCE Exam Content Outline (Medication Safety & Patient Communication)

Lexicomp Drug Monograph for Sertraline (Zoloft)