Pharmacy Drug Delivery Systems 3

Question 1

Enteric coating on a tablet is designed to dissolve at:

Accepted Answer

pH above 5.5–6 (small intestine)

Answer

Enteric coatings use polymers like CAP or Eudragit L that remain intact in acidic gastric pH but dissolve at the higher pH of the small intestine.

Question 2

Which inhalation device requires the patient to generate sufficient inspiratory flow to disperse the drug?

Accepted Answer

Dry powder inhaler (DPI)

Answer

DPIs are breath-actuated and rely on the patient's inspiratory effort to deagglomerate and aerosolize the dry powder.

Question 3

In parenteral formulations, isotonicity is adjusted to match blood osmolarity of approximately:

Accepted Answer

308 mOsm/kg

Answer

Blood osmolarity is approximately 285–310 mOsm/kg; 0.9% NaCl (normal saline) is isotonic at ~308 mOsm/kg.

Question 4

A prodrug is a pharmacologically inactive compound that:

Accepted Answer

Is converted in vivo to an active drug

Answer

Prodrugs are designed to be biotransformed in the body into the pharmacologically active parent drug.

Question 5

Which property of a drug MOST favors absorption via the buccal or sublingual route?

Accepted Answer

High lipophilicity and low ionization at oral pH

Answer

Lipophilic, unionized drugs readily partition through the thin, vascular oral mucosa without hepatic first-pass metabolism.

Pharmacy Practice Test