NLE Pharmacology and Medication Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What term describes the study of how drugs move through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion?
- Pharmacodynamics
- Pharmacokinetics (Correct answer)
- Pharmacogenomics
- Pharmacotherapy
Correct answer: Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacokinetics describes the movement of drugs through the body via absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
Question 2: Which route of drug administration provides the fastest onset of action?
- Oral
- Subcutaneous
- Intravenous (Correct answer)
- Intramuscular
Correct answer: Intravenous
Intravenous (IV) administration delivers drugs directly into the bloodstream, bypassing absorption and providing the fastest onset.
Question 3: A medication has a 'narrow therapeutic index.' This means:
- The drug has very few side effects
- The drug treats a wide range of conditions
- There is a small difference between therapeutic and toxic doses (Correct answer)
- The drug is only available in one dosage form
Correct answer: There is a small difference between therapeutic and toxic doses
A narrow therapeutic index means the margin between the effective dose and the toxic dose is small, requiring careful monitoring.
Question 4: Naloxone is classified as an opioid antagonist because it:
- Enhances the effects of opioids at receptor sites
- Blocks opioid receptor sites and reverses opioid effects (Correct answer)
- Stimulates the release of endogenous endorphins
- Increases opioid metabolism in the liver
Correct answer: Blocks opioid receptor sites and reverses opioid effects
Naloxone competitively blocks opioid receptors, reversing respiratory depression and other opioid effects.
Question 5: The 'first-pass effect' refers to:
- The first dose of a medication being the most potent
- Hepatic metabolism of a drug before it reaches systemic circulation (Correct answer)
- Initial side effects experienced when starting a new medication
- Drug absorption through the skin on first application
Correct answer: Hepatic metabolism of a drug before it reaches systemic circulation
The first-pass effect occurs when orally administered drugs are metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing bioavailability.
Question 6: A drug has a half-life of 6 hours. Approximately how long will it take for 97% of the drug to be eliminated from the body?
- 12 hours
- 18 hours
- 24 hours
- 30 hours (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 30 hours
Approximately 5 half-lives are needed to eliminate ~97% of a drug; with a 6-hour half-life, that equals 30 hours.
Question 7: Which medication class is most commonly associated with hypokalemia as a side effect?
- Beta-blockers
- Loop diuretics (Correct answer)
- ACE inhibitors
- Calcium channel blockers
Correct answer: Loop diuretics
Loop diuretics such as furosemide promote potassium excretion in the urine, commonly causing hypokalemia.
NLE Pharmacology and Medication Management 1
What term describes the study of how drugs move through the body, including absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion?