CNPR Pharmacology & Medical Terminology 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the unwanted secondary effects of a drug beyond its therapeutic purpose?
- Contraindication
- Side effect (Correct answer)
- Drug interaction
- Tolerance
Correct answer: Side effect
Side effects are unintended pharmacological actions that occur alongside the desired therapeutic effect.
Question 2: The medical root word 'cardio' pertains to which organ?
- Lungs
- Kidneys
- Heart (Correct answer)
- Liver
Correct answer: Heart
The root 'cardio' derives from the Greek 'kardia' meaning heart, used in terms like cardiology and cardiovascular.
Question 3: A drug's 'half-life' is defined as the time required for:
- The drug to be fully absorbed
- The plasma concentration to decrease by 50% (Correct answer)
- The drug to reach peak effect
- The drug to cross the blood-brain barrier
Correct answer: The plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
Half-life is the time for plasma drug concentration to fall by 50%, determining dosing frequency.
Question 4: Which prefix means 'against' or 'opposing' in pharmacological terminology?
- Pro-
- Anti- (Correct answer)
- Brady-
- Tachy-
Correct answer: Anti-
The prefix 'anti-' means against or opposing, as seen in antibiotics (against bacteria) or antihypertensives.
Question 5: Pharmacodynamics is best described as the study of:
- How the body processes a drug
- How a drug affects the body (Correct answer)
- Drug manufacturing processes
- Drug absorption rates
Correct answer: How a drug affects the body
Pharmacodynamics studies the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their mechanisms of action on the body.
Question 6: The medical suffix '-ectomy' refers to:
- Incision into
- Visual examination of
- Surgical removal of (Correct answer)
- Disease of
Correct answer: Surgical removal of
The suffix '-ectomy' means surgical removal or excision, as in appendectomy or tonsillectomy.
Question 7: Which term refers to the decreased response to a drug after repeated administration?
- Sensitization
- Tolerance (Correct answer)
- Idiosyncrasy
- Synergism
Correct answer: Tolerance
Tolerance is the reduced pharmacological response requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect after repeated drug use.
CNPR Pharmacology & Medical Terminology 3
Which term describes the unwanted secondary effects of a drug beyond its therapeutic purpose?