Pharmacology Principles & Drug Classifications Flashcards

Which drug classification includes medications like metformin and glipizide?

Answer: Antidiabetics

Metformin and glipizide are antidiabetic drugs used to lower blood glucose in type 2 diabetes.

The term 'half-life' in pharmacology refers to:

Answer: The time required for plasma drug concentration to decrease by 50%

Half-life is the time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the plasma to reduce by half.

A medication labeled 'enteric-coated' should be:

Answer: Swallowed whole without crushing

Enteric-coated tablets must be swallowed whole because the coating protects the drug from stomach acid and prevents GI irritation.

Which route of drug administration has the fastest onset of action?

Answer: Intravenous

Intravenous (IV) administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, resulting in the fastest onset.

Beta-blockers are primarily classified as which type of medication?

Answer: Antihypertensives

Beta-blockers such as metoprolol and atenolol are used primarily to treat hypertension and cardiac conditions.

Which statement best describes a 'contraindication' for a drug?

Answer: A situation in which a drug should NOT be used

A contraindication is a specific condition or factor that makes it inadvisable or dangerous to administer a particular medication.

NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) work by:

Answer: Inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis

NSAIDs such as ibuprofen reduce pain and inflammation by inhibiting cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes that produce prostaglandins.