B.Pharm. Bachelor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A drug with a high first-pass effect is best administered via which route to maximize bioavailability?
- Oral
- Rectal (lower rectum)
- Sublingual (Correct answer)
- Intraduodenal
Correct answer: Sublingual
Sublingual administration bypasses the portal circulation, avoiding first-pass hepatic metabolism and achieving higher systemic bioavailability.
Question 2: What is the primary pharmacological action of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins)?
- Inhibit cholesterol absorption in the intestine
- Block bile acid reabsorption
- Inhibit the rate-limiting step of hepatic cholesterol synthesis (Correct answer)
- Activate lipoprotein lipase
Correct answer: Inhibit the rate-limiting step of hepatic cholesterol synthesis
Statins competitively inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, the enzyme catalyzing the rate-limiting step in cholesterol biosynthesis in the liver.
Question 3: Which type of drug interaction occurs when one drug alters the absorption of another by chelation?
- Pharmacodynamic antagonism
- Pharmaceutic interaction
- Pharmacokinetic interaction (Correct answer)
- Pharmacogenomic interaction
Correct answer: Pharmacokinetic interaction
Chelation-based absorption interactions are pharmacokinetic, where drugs like tetracyclines bind divalent cations (Ca2+, Mg2+) forming insoluble complexes that reduce absorption.
Question 4: The narrow therapeutic index of warfarin means that:
- It is ineffective at low doses
- Small changes in dose can lead to toxicity or therapeutic failure (Correct answer)
- It has many drug-drug interactions
- It requires renal dose adjustment
Correct answer: Small changes in dose can lead to toxicity or therapeutic failure
A narrow therapeutic index means the toxic dose is close to the therapeutic dose, requiring careful monitoring to maintain efficacy without causing bleeding.
Question 5: Which property of a solid dosage form is described by the angle of repose?
- Compressibility
- Drug solubility
- Powder flowability (Correct answer)
- Tablet hardness
Correct answer: Powder flowability
The angle of repose measures the maximum angle a powder pile makes with a horizontal surface, indicating powder flowability for tablet and capsule manufacturing.
Question 6: Anticholinergic drugs produce their effects by blocking which receptor type?
- Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
- Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (Correct answer)
- Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors
- Beta-2 adrenergic receptors
Correct answer: Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors
Anticholinergic drugs competitively block muscarinic receptors, inhibiting parasympathetic effects such as increased secretions, bradycardia, and smooth muscle contraction.
Question 7: In the context of clinical pharmacy, what does AUC (Area Under the Curve) represent?
- Peak plasma drug concentration
- Time to reach maximum drug concentration
- Total drug exposure over time (Correct answer)
- Drug elimination half-life
Correct answer: Total drug exposure over time
AUC represents the total drug exposure to systemic circulation over a defined time period and is directly proportional to the amount of drug absorbed.
B.Pharm. Bachelor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Pharmacy (B.Pharm.) 3
A drug with a high first-pass effect is best administered via which route to maximize bioavailability?