Question

Which of the following statements is false?

1) a bacteriostatic chemical stops the growth of a microorganism
2) The lower the therapeutic index, the less toxic the medication
3) Broad-spectrum antibiotics are associated with the development of severe Clostridium difficile infections
4) Azithromycin has a longer half-life than does penicillin V
5) Chloramphenicol can cause a life-threatening type of anemia

Answer 1

The false statement is that 2) the lower the therapeutic index, the less toxic the medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

The false statement in the given options is 2) The lower the therapeutic index, the less toxic the medication.

The therapeutic index (TI) is a measure of a drug's safety and is calculated by dividing the lethal dose (LD50) of a drug by its effective dose (ED50) for a specific therapeutic effect. A lower therapeutic index indicates a higher toxicity of the medication.

For example, if drug A has an LD50 of 10 mg and an ED50 of 100 mg, its TI would be 10/100 = 0.1. On the other hand, if drug B has an LD50 of 100 mg and an ED50 of 500 mg, its TI would be 100/500 = 0.2. While drug B has a higher LD50 (indicating a lower toxicity) compared to drug A, its TI is actually higher (indicating a lower safety margin).