NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) Practice Exam

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Ace your North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) with our comprehensive practice test. Features include interactive flashcards, multiple-choice questions, with detailed hints and explanations. Fast-track your pharmacy career today!

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How should perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis be handled in the post-operative phase?

Continue until patient is discharged
Discontinue within 24 hours
Administer for at least 3 days post-operation
Depends on patient's recovery speed

The correct answer is: Discontinue within 24 hours

Perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis is a short-term treatment given to prevent infection during and immediately after surgery. This type of antibiotic should be discontinued within 24 hours after the surgery is completed. Continuing the antibiotic until the patient is discharged (option A) is not necessary and can lead to unnecessary antibiotic use. Administering for at least 3 days post-op (option C) is also not necessary unless there are specific circumstances that require longer prophylaxis. Depending on the patient's recovery speed (option D) is not a reliable factor in determining when to discontinue the antibiotic, as patients may have varying recovery speeds and this should not be the sole factor in medication decisions. Therefore, option B is the most appropriate and evidence-based approach to handling perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in the post-operative phase.