Question

question 25

a pharmacy technician is assisting a patient who states he wants to purchase omeprazole (prilosec) 20 mg tablets. which of the following statements should the technician make to the patient?

• \you can purchase pantoprazole over-the-counter for the same purpose.\
• \prilosec can be purchased over-the-counter.\
• \you must have a prescription from your doctor to purchase omeprazole.\
• \prilosec is only available in a 40-mg tablet, so you will need to cut the pills in half.\

Explanation:

Analyze the patient's request

The patient wants to purchase omeprazole (Prilosec) 20 mg tablets. We need to evaluate the regulatory and availability status of this medication.

Evaluate the drug status

Using the Brand Name and Generic Name concepts, we identify omeprazole as the generic name and Prilosec as the brand name. Omeprazole 20 mg is a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) that is widely available over-the-counter (OTC) in the United States for treating frequent heartburn.

Assess the options

• Option 1 suggests pantoprazole is OTC. Pantoprazole is currently prescription-only.
• Option 2 states "Prilosec can be purchased over-the-counter." This is correct because Prilosec OTC (omeprazole 20 mg) is available without a prescription.
• Option 3 states a prescription is required. This is incorrect for the 20 mg strength.
• Option 4 states Prilosec is only available as a 40 mg tablet. This is incorrect; it is available in 20 mg.

Select the correct statement

The most accurate statement the technician can make is that Prilosec can be purchased over-the-counter.

Answer:

• "You can purchase pantoprazole over-the-counter for the same purpose."
• "Prilosec can be purchased over-the-counter." (Correct answer)
• "You must have a prescription from your doctor to purchase omeprazole."
• "Prilosec is only available in a 40-mg tablet, so you will need to cut the pills in half."