NUR 1290 STUDY GUIDE 2026 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
GRADED A+
✔✔Parental Route (fastest) - ✔✔Injections (IV, IM, & Subcutaneous); solutions &
powders for reconstitution
✔✔Distribution - ✔✔The transport of a drug by the bloodstream to its site of action.
✔✔What factors can affect drug Distribution? - ✔✔Protein-binding and water solubility.
Only unbound drugs perform action
✔✔Metabolism - ✔✔Breakdown of drug to less potent to facilitate excretion
✔✔What is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism? - ✔✔Liver
✔✔What are the organs involved in drug metabolism besides the liver? - ✔✔Kidneys,
muscle, lungs, intestines
✔✔What is the role of Cytochrome P-450 enzymes in drug metabolism? - ✔✔They aid
in the liver metabolism of fat-soluble drugs.
✔✔What is the difference between enzyme inhibitors and enzyme inducers? -
✔✔Enzyme inhibitors delay metabolism, while enzyme inducers stimulate metabolism.
✔✔What is a substrate? - ✔✔The drug that is targeted by an enzyme to attach to.
✔✔What factors can decrease metabolism? - ✔✔Cardiovascular disease, renal
disease, starvation, obstructive jaundice, genetics (slow acetylator), P-450 enzyme
inhibitors, drugs.
✔✔What factors can increase metabolism? - ✔✔Genetics (fast acetylator), drugs, P-450
enzyme inducers.
✔✔Excretion - ✔✔The elimination of drugs from the body.
✔✔Which organ is the main organ for drug excretion? - ✔✔Kidneys.
✔✔Half-life - ✔✔The time it takes for one half of the drug to be removed from the body.
✔✔How many half-lives are typically required for complete drug removal? - ✔✔Five
half-lives.
✔✔Therapeutic Window - ✔✔What happens to the drug when absorbed
, ✔✔Thearapeutic index - ✔✔Measure of drug safety; Range between toxicity and relief
✔✔Drugs onset of action - ✔✔Time it takes to elicit drug (effect kick in)
✔✔Drugs peak effect - ✔✔The time it takes for a drug to reach its maximum effect
✔✔Drugs duration of action - ✔✔The time a drug concentration is sufficient to elicit a
effect.
✔✔Drug Monitoring - ✔✔The process of measuring drug levels to ensure efficacy and
safety; avoid toxicity
✔✔What is the peak level in drug monitoring? - ✔✔The highest concentration of drug in
the blood.
✔✔What is the trough level in drug monitoring? - ✔✔The lowest concentration of drug in
the blood.
✔✔Pharmacodynamics - ✔✔The mechanisms of drug action in body
✔✔Agonist DRUG TYPE - ✔✔drug binds to the receptor, activates and mimicks
response
✔✔Antagonist DRUG TYPE - ✔✔Drug binds to the receptor, blocks site and effects
✔✔Pharmacotherapeutics - ✔✔Clinical use of drug to prevent/treat diseases/illnesses
✔✔Acute therapy - ✔✔Intensive treatment for a quick onset reaction
✔✔Maintenance therapy - ✔✔prevents chronic progression of illness
✔✔Supplemental therapy - ✔✔Supplies supplement to the body to remain healthy
✔✔Palliative therapy - ✔✔Provide provides comfort/relief during symptoms of illness
✔✔Supportive therapy - ✔✔Maintains body function during illness (IV)
✔✔Prophylactic therapy - ✔✔Prevents illness of a plant event (antibiotics after surgery)
✔✔Empiric therapy - ✔✔Treating/preventing illness based on symptoms
✔✔Additive effect - ✔✔Two drugs work similarly allowing smaller doses of each (1+1)
GRADED A+
✔✔Parental Route (fastest) - ✔✔Injections (IV, IM, & Subcutaneous); solutions &
powders for reconstitution
✔✔Distribution - ✔✔The transport of a drug by the bloodstream to its site of action.
✔✔What factors can affect drug Distribution? - ✔✔Protein-binding and water solubility.
Only unbound drugs perform action
✔✔Metabolism - ✔✔Breakdown of drug to less potent to facilitate excretion
✔✔What is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism? - ✔✔Liver
✔✔What are the organs involved in drug metabolism besides the liver? - ✔✔Kidneys,
muscle, lungs, intestines
✔✔What is the role of Cytochrome P-450 enzymes in drug metabolism? - ✔✔They aid
in the liver metabolism of fat-soluble drugs.
✔✔What is the difference between enzyme inhibitors and enzyme inducers? -
✔✔Enzyme inhibitors delay metabolism, while enzyme inducers stimulate metabolism.
✔✔What is a substrate? - ✔✔The drug that is targeted by an enzyme to attach to.
✔✔What factors can decrease metabolism? - ✔✔Cardiovascular disease, renal
disease, starvation, obstructive jaundice, genetics (slow acetylator), P-450 enzyme
inhibitors, drugs.
✔✔What factors can increase metabolism? - ✔✔Genetics (fast acetylator), drugs, P-450
enzyme inducers.
✔✔Excretion - ✔✔The elimination of drugs from the body.
✔✔Which organ is the main organ for drug excretion? - ✔✔Kidneys.
✔✔Half-life - ✔✔The time it takes for one half of the drug to be removed from the body.
✔✔How many half-lives are typically required for complete drug removal? - ✔✔Five
half-lives.
✔✔Therapeutic Window - ✔✔What happens to the drug when absorbed
, ✔✔Thearapeutic index - ✔✔Measure of drug safety; Range between toxicity and relief
✔✔Drugs onset of action - ✔✔Time it takes to elicit drug (effect kick in)
✔✔Drugs peak effect - ✔✔The time it takes for a drug to reach its maximum effect
✔✔Drugs duration of action - ✔✔The time a drug concentration is sufficient to elicit a
effect.
✔✔Drug Monitoring - ✔✔The process of measuring drug levels to ensure efficacy and
safety; avoid toxicity
✔✔What is the peak level in drug monitoring? - ✔✔The highest concentration of drug in
the blood.
✔✔What is the trough level in drug monitoring? - ✔✔The lowest concentration of drug in
the blood.
✔✔Pharmacodynamics - ✔✔The mechanisms of drug action in body
✔✔Agonist DRUG TYPE - ✔✔drug binds to the receptor, activates and mimicks
response
✔✔Antagonist DRUG TYPE - ✔✔Drug binds to the receptor, blocks site and effects
✔✔Pharmacotherapeutics - ✔✔Clinical use of drug to prevent/treat diseases/illnesses
✔✔Acute therapy - ✔✔Intensive treatment for a quick onset reaction
✔✔Maintenance therapy - ✔✔prevents chronic progression of illness
✔✔Supplemental therapy - ✔✔Supplies supplement to the body to remain healthy
✔✔Palliative therapy - ✔✔Provide provides comfort/relief during symptoms of illness
✔✔Supportive therapy - ✔✔Maintains body function during illness (IV)
✔✔Prophylactic therapy - ✔✔Prevents illness of a plant event (antibiotics after surgery)
✔✔Empiric therapy - ✔✔Treating/preventing illness based on symptoms
✔✔Additive effect - ✔✔Two drugs work similarly allowing smaller doses of each (1+1)
