Which term refers to a reason that makes it inadvisable to prescribe a particular drug or procedure?

Which term refers to a reason that makes it inadvisable to prescribe a particular drug or procedure?

• A. Abdominocentesis
• B. Contraindication
• C. Radiography
• D. Arthrocentesis

Answer: (B)

A contraindication is a factor that makes a treatment inadvisable. It signals that prescribing the drug or performing the procedure could cause harm, worsen the condition, or offer little to no benefit. In this question, the term describes the reason to avoid a particular drug or procedure because of potential risk to the patient. The other options are names of procedures or tests—abdominocentesis is removing abdominal fluid, radiography is X-ray imaging, and arthrocentesis is drawing fluid from a joint—so they describe actions rather than the reasons to avoid them.

A contraindication is a factor that makes a treatment inadvisable. It signals that prescribing the drug or performing the procedure could cause harm, worsen the condition, or offer little to no benefit. In this question, the term describes the reason to avoid a particular drug or procedure because of potential risk to the patient. The other options are names of procedures or tests—abdominocentesis is removing abdominal fluid, radiography is X-ray imaging, and arthrocentesis is drawing fluid from a joint—so they describe actions rather than the reasons to avoid them.