Which of the following drugs is NOT used in the management of hypersensitivity reaction?

Appeared in: JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Explanation

Chloroquine is the correct answer as it is not used in the management of hypersensitivity reactions.
It is primarily an antimalarial drug that is also used as a disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) for conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.
Chloroquine's mechanism of action involves interfering with parasitic or immune cell function, which is irrelevant to the acute mast cell degranulation seen in Type I hypersensitivity.

Option A: Antihistamines are a standard adjunctive treatment for hypersensitivity reactions.
Option B: Epinephrine is the most critical, first-line drug for treating severe hypersensitivity reactions (anaphylaxis).
Option C: Corticosteroids are frequently used as an adjunctive therapy in the management of significant hypersensitivity reactions.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Pharmacological management of hypersensitivity reactions as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
In a clinical setting, recognizing the signs of anaphylaxis and acting quickly is a critical nursing responsibility. The priority is always ABC (Airway, Breathing, Circulation) and administering epinephrine without delay.
Nurses must understand the distinct roles of each medication: Epinephrine is for resuscitation, while antihistamines and corticosteroids are for symptom control and preventing recurrence. Delaying epinephrine in favor of antihistamines is a common and dangerous error.
What if the patient is on a beta-blocker? Their response to epinephrine might be blunted. In such cases, glucagon may be required as it can bypass the beta-receptor to increase cardiac contractility and heart rate.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core of the question, which is about the pharmacology of hypersensitivity reactions.
Note the negative keyword "NOT". This means you are looking for the option that is an exception or does not belong to the group of drugs used for this condition.
Review each option: Antihistamines, Epinephrine, and Corticosteroids are all standard treatments for allergic reactions of varying severity.
Evaluate the function of each drug. Epinephrine is first-line for severe reactions. Antihistamines and corticosteroids are adjunctive.
Identify Chloroquine. Recall or determine its primary use (antimalarial). Since this function is unrelated to treating acute allergies, it is the correct outlier.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Pharmacological management of hypersensitivity reactions
Stem keywords: drugs, management, hypersensitivity reaction
Lead-in keywords: NOT
Negative lead-in flag: The question asks to identify the drug that is NOT used, requiring elimination of the correct treatments.

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E6 Pharmacology Katzung 16e p. 1548-1550

E6 Pharmacology KD Tripathi OneStop 9e p. 38-40

Practise the full JSSH Staff Nurse - 2019

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.