The patient mentions he is also suffering from an ear infection and has been taking some antibiotics. He wants to ensure that he can take sildenafil at the same time as the antibiotics. Which antibiotic is most likely to result in a serious drug interaction?

Study for the Foundation Year Pharmacy – Clinical Practice Test. Prepare with detailed questions, step-by-step explanations, and test format insights. Enhance your readiness and confidence!

Multiple Choice

The patient mentions he is also suffering from an ear infection and has been taking some antibiotics. He wants to ensure that he can take sildenafil at the same time as the antibiotics. Which antibiotic is most likely to result in a serious drug interaction?

Explanation:
The key idea is how sildenafil is cleared from the body. Sildenafil is mainly metabolized by the liver enzyme CYP3A4. When a drug inhibits this enzyme, sildenafil levels rise, increasing the risk of significant side effects such as severe low blood pressure, dizziness, or fainting. Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic known to strongly inhibit CYP3A4. When taken with sildenafil, it can markedly increase sildenafil exposure and raise the risk of a serious interaction. The other antibiotics listed (amoxicillin, doxycycline, and cephalexin) do not meaningfully inhibit CYP3A4, so they are unlikely to cause the same interaction with sildenafil. So, the macrolide antibiotic is the one most likely to lead to a serious drug interaction with sildenafil.

The key idea is how sildenafil is cleared from the body. Sildenafil is mainly metabolized by the liver enzyme CYP3A4. When a drug inhibits this enzyme, sildenafil levels rise, increasing the risk of significant side effects such as severe low blood pressure, dizziness, or fainting.

Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic known to strongly inhibit CYP3A4. When taken with sildenafil, it can markedly increase sildenafil exposure and raise the risk of a serious interaction. The other antibiotics listed (amoxicillin, doxycycline, and cephalexin) do not meaningfully inhibit CYP3A4, so they are unlikely to cause the same interaction with sildenafil.

So, the macrolide antibiotic is the one most likely to lead to a serious drug interaction with sildenafil.

Subscribe

Get the latest from Examzify

You can unsubscribe at any time. Read our privacy policy