14/14

That’s all for now folks 😁

Be sure to check out the following PSA resources to aid your revision:

➡️The PSA website (of course)
➡️BPS
➡️Mind the Bleep
➡️Geeky Medics
➡️Passmedicine

@medicsacademy @yusufkarmali.bsky.social
#PSA #Pharmacology #med #medicine #medschool #medschoolexams #meded

13/14

A tip!

🎯 You can use this formula to get a rough new dose, on any drug (like Lithium) with a linear dose-serum concentration:

➡️ Old dose x (original conc/new conc) = new dose

In this case, 600 x (0.8/1.2)

And a final answer of exactly 🌟 400mg! 🌟

12/14

To lower the serum Li, we need to lower the Lithium carbonate dose... but by how much?

Well, just as we used common sense to rule out option E, we may as well rule out A ➡️ 200mg seems to low

Leaving us with options 300, 400 or 500 mg.

And a few mins for some simple maths..

11/14

Tricky? It really can be 😔

But given how the patient’s serum lithium levels are now too high when on ramipril…

Common sense says that he cannot stay on his current Lithium carbonate 600mg prescription❗

10/14

Now let’s move onto data interpretation: the final section of the PSA.

Here’s another mock ❓ from the BPS:

‘Select the most appropriate decision option with regard to the lithium carbonate prescription’

9/14

Don’t let that fool you into being the answer though!

As said in the stem, she receives this medication (54ml) in 4 divided doses

And 54/4 is 13.5

Making 🌟13.5ml 🌟 the final answer!

8/14

Ok! So the patient weighs 18kg…

Meaning she’ll be taking a dose of 1080mg daily (60mg/kg x 18)

But we need to get this into ml - and this can be done using the ratio they’ve given us ⬇️

100mg : 5ml
1080mg : ?

Now divide 1080 by 100, to get 10.8. If we multiply that with 5, we get 54ml…

7/14

Now onto some calculations! 🤩

Here’s an example from the free BPS mocks:

Can you work this out?

6/14

Found it yet?

If not, look no further than ⬇️ to help you out. Here, you should find that the answer is:

🌟Rivaroxaban🌟

5/14

PSA section 1: Prescribing

Have a go at the question below ⬇️

If you already know the type of drug you should prescribe - well done! Type it in the BNF and get your dose/frequency/route!

But if you don’t know… well, here’s a little tip:

🎯Search 'VTE' on Treatment Summaries

4/14

To help aid revision, we’ll be covering questions from 3 of the hardest sections of the PSA:

➡️Prescribing
➡️Calculations
➡️Data Interpretation

Let’s go!

3/14

Thankfully, you are allowed some help in the PSA…the BNF 😃

And you could access this from NICE (as standard), or through Medicines Complete. Your preference really 😏

Though, the BNF on Medicines Complete can be much easier to navigate…

2/14

Did you know that the PSA has 8 sections? 120 marks? And 2 hours to complete? 😲

And that certain sections are worth more marks? 🫣

Luckily, the picture ⬇️can help you out