NAPLEX (North American Pharmacist Licensure Examination) Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Study for the NAPLEX exam with a comprehensive quiz featuring multiple-choice questions and in-depth explanations. Build your pharmacological knowledge and increase your chances of passing the pharmacist licensure examination!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


Which medication has the highest COX-2 selectivity?

  1. Celecoxib (Celebrex)

  2. Diclofenac (Voltaren)

  3. Meloxicam (Mobic)

  4. Ibuprofen (Advil)

The correct answer is: Celecoxib (Celebrex)

Celecoxib (Celebrex) has the highest COX-2 selectivity among the options provided. COX-2 inhibitors like celecoxib selectively inhibit the cyclooxygenase-2 enzyme, which is responsible for inflammation and pain, while sparing the cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) enzyme that helps maintain the stomach lining and normal platelet function. This selectivity helps reduce the risk of gastrointestinal ulcers and bleeding compared to non-selective NSAIDs like diclofenac, meloxicam, and ibuprofen. Thus, celecoxib is preferred in patients who are at higher risk of gastrointestinal complications.