Example of frustrating COMLEX question

[Red Beard]

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This is from the free NBOME practice test:

For each numbered item (condition coexisting with hypertension), select the one heading (mechanism of drug action) most closely associated with it. Each lettered heading may be selected once, more than once, or not at all.

(A) alpha1-adrenergic antagonist
(B) alpha2-adrenergic agonist
(C) angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor
(D) beta-adrenergic antagonist
(E) calcium channel antagonist

92. Diabetic nephropathy
93. Angina pectoris and asthma
94. Congestive heart failure

So is it asking "which drug mechanism will cause this additional pathology" or "which drug above would be used to treat this additional pathology"?????

As it turns out, its asking the latter, based on the given answers (C, E, and C). But it took me several annoying minutes to decide what the freaking question was...😡

 

[Taus]

ha....classic nbome

on my exam I had something along the lines of

Hypokalemia with CHF? (literally the entire question)

and then the answers were a list of drugs...loop/hctz/ace/arb/aldactone/ccb/bb/etc

did they want the drug that probably caused it ? An agent that can help it and still tx the chf?

after playing the necessary "what are they probably trying to ask me?" game....I went w/ the loop

I wanted to write on the screen..."just give the chf'er some damn K"....

 

[cyclohexanol]

This is from the free NBOME practice test:



So is it asking "which drug mechanism will cause this additional pathology" or "which drug above would be used to treat this additional pathology"?????

As it turns out, its asking the former, based on the given answers (C, E, and C). But it took me several annoying minutes to decide what the freaking question was...😡

It's even better when you get a series of 4 questions that start off with something just as vague.

Question 1 of 4:
'34 y/o male comes into your office. What is the diagnosis?' 🙄

Question 2 of 4:
'Based on the diagnosis, what is the underlying pathology?'

Question 3 of 4:
'What is the next step in treatment?'

Question 4 of 4:
'How hard can you punch the screen knowing that you just missed 4 questions?'

etc...

EDIT: the answer is 'with an excessive amount of force'

 

[djnels01]

ha....classic nbome

on my exam I had something along the lines of

Hypokalemia with CHF? (literally the entire question)

and then the answers were a list of drugs...loop/hctz/ace/arb/aldactone/ccb/bb/etc

did they want the drug that probably caused it ? An agent that can help it and still tx the chf?

after playing the necessary "what are they probably trying to ask me?" game....I went w/ the loop

I wanted to write on the screen..."just give the chf'er some damn K"....

What made you decide on the loop?

I'm REALLY wondering why I'm even bringing this up, but... wouldn't you want to use a K-sparing diuretic in this patient instead of something that would further drop their K level? I realize furosemide is DOC for acute CHF exacerbation/fluid overload states, but I've never read what to do if they're fluid overloaded AND hypoK...

I just need to take this damn test already and get it over with. 1 week to go! Oh, and cyclohexanol, I feel you on those question sets. Nothing like asking a 5 questions about some horribly asinine protozoal infex to drop one's self confidence. I hate Kaplan qbank sometimes-

 

[Taus]

hat made you decide on the loop?

I'm REALLY wondering why I'm even bringing this up, but... wouldn't you want to use a K-sparing diuretic in this patient instead of something that would further drop their K level? I realize furosemide is DOC for acute CHF exacerbation/fluid overload states,

haha....thats what I call the "wtf factor" on the COMLEX....don't overthink the questions....just go w/ your 1st thought/most common thing

and trying to quickly get liters of fluid out of a chf'er w/ only a k-sparing diuretic is like pissing into the wind...

but I've never read what to do if they're fluid overloaded AND hypoK...

give em some KCl


good luck

 

[ImNoSuperman]

I took it today... oh my WORD!!! If I had to see one more head CT with a bleed I was gonna hang myself with my mouse! Oh, and I had vague pharm questions, 3 or 4 questions that had the answer of Stapylococcus and questions and more than one question regarding meningitis in young peoples. They can keep that 7 1/2 hours of my life. I DID get done an hour before the timer, but I left feeling like I could have conquered or... been mounted and royally screwed.

 

[BrisketAttack]

This is from the free NBOME practice test:



So is it asking "which drug mechanism will cause this additional pathology" or "which drug above would be used to treat this additional pathology"?????

As it turns out, its asking the former, based on the given answers (C, E, and C). But it took me several annoying minutes to decide what the freaking question was...😡

that question is so poorly written. it's a g-damn nightmare. so glad i'm not taking the comlex. seems like a real pile of ****.

 

[osli]

Is it really that bad?!? Geez... glad I'm focusing on USMLE prep only and will roll the dice with the COMLEX. I think I'd go mad if I had to deal with those kinds of questions before the actual exam day.

 

[Taus]

that majority of the test wasn't like this and was fairly well-written IMO....but q's like these stick out pretty bad