NYU PHARMACOLOGY EXAMINATION TEST
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ what is absorption? Answer: process that occurs from the time a drug
enters the body to the time it enters the bloodstream to be circulated
◉ How are oral drugs absorbed into the bloodstream? Answer: Drugs
are absorbed via movement from the GI tract into the bloodstream
◉ Describe the different ways drugs are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Answer: - Passive diffusion (requires no energy via diffusion or
facilitated diffusion)
- Active transport (requires energy and carrier substance)
- Pinocytosis (cell carries drug across membrane by engulfing the drug)
◉ Define disintegration. Answer: the breakdown of an oral drug into
smaller particles
◉ Define dissolution. Answer: combining small drug particles with
liquid to form a solution
◉ What type of drugs are the slowest to absorb? Answer: oral drugs
,◉ What type of drugs are the fastest to absorb? Answer: - subcutaneous
and intramuscular drug injections
**Drugs injected via IV do not need to be absorbed because they are
placed directly into the bloodstream
◉ List factors affecting drug absorption. Answer: - circulation
- pain
- stress
- food texture, fat content, and temperature
- pH
- Route administration
◉ Define bioavailability. Answer: the portion of the drug that reaches
systemic circulation and is available to act on body cells
◉ Describe the first pass effect. Answer: Drugs given ORALLY are
absorbed through the GI tract and carried to the liver via portal
circulation.
The drugs is metabolized in the liver with only part of a drug dose
reaching the systemic circulation for distribution to sites of action
(decreased bioavailability)
,◉ what is distribution? Answer: transport of drug molecules within the
body to its sites of action, metabolism, and excretion
◉ Explain plasma protein bound drugs. Answer: - Drugs form a
compound with plasma proteins, mainly albumin, which act as carriers
- Drug molecules bound to plasma proteins are inactive
- Free/ unbound drug molecules act on body cells
* drugs have different levels of protein binding
◉ What can hypoalbuminemia indicate? Answer: Higher likelihood of
excess free drug in the bloodstream causing toxicity
◉ What can decrease drug distribution? Answer: - Abscesses
- Exudates
- Glands
- Tumors
◉ Body tissue affinity. Answer: Some drugs accumulate in:
- Fat
- Bone
- Liver
, - Muscle
- Eye tissue
◉ what is metabolism? Answer: the method by which drugs are
inactivated by the body
◉ What is the primary site of drug metabolism? Answer: Liver
* liver enzymes transform active drugs into inactive metabolites or
water-soluble metabolites so they can be excreted by the kidneys
◉ What liver diseases can affect metabolism? Answer: - Hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
◉ What is the result of a decreased metabolism? Answer: Leads to
excess drug accumulation which can lead to toxicity
**Patients with decreased metabolisms will require lower drug dosages
◉ Define half-life. Answer: The time required for the amount of drug in
the body to decrease by 50%.
- For example if the half-life is one day, in 1 day, 50% is left; in 2 days,
25% is left; in 3 days, 12.5% is left; etc.
PAPER 2026 QUESTIONS AND SOLUTIONS
◉ what is absorption? Answer: process that occurs from the time a drug
enters the body to the time it enters the bloodstream to be circulated
◉ How are oral drugs absorbed into the bloodstream? Answer: Drugs
are absorbed via movement from the GI tract into the bloodstream
◉ Describe the different ways drugs are absorbed into the bloodstream.
Answer: - Passive diffusion (requires no energy via diffusion or
facilitated diffusion)
- Active transport (requires energy and carrier substance)
- Pinocytosis (cell carries drug across membrane by engulfing the drug)
◉ Define disintegration. Answer: the breakdown of an oral drug into
smaller particles
◉ Define dissolution. Answer: combining small drug particles with
liquid to form a solution
◉ What type of drugs are the slowest to absorb? Answer: oral drugs
,◉ What type of drugs are the fastest to absorb? Answer: - subcutaneous
and intramuscular drug injections
**Drugs injected via IV do not need to be absorbed because they are
placed directly into the bloodstream
◉ List factors affecting drug absorption. Answer: - circulation
- pain
- stress
- food texture, fat content, and temperature
- pH
- Route administration
◉ Define bioavailability. Answer: the portion of the drug that reaches
systemic circulation and is available to act on body cells
◉ Describe the first pass effect. Answer: Drugs given ORALLY are
absorbed through the GI tract and carried to the liver via portal
circulation.
The drugs is metabolized in the liver with only part of a drug dose
reaching the systemic circulation for distribution to sites of action
(decreased bioavailability)
,◉ what is distribution? Answer: transport of drug molecules within the
body to its sites of action, metabolism, and excretion
◉ Explain plasma protein bound drugs. Answer: - Drugs form a
compound with plasma proteins, mainly albumin, which act as carriers
- Drug molecules bound to plasma proteins are inactive
- Free/ unbound drug molecules act on body cells
* drugs have different levels of protein binding
◉ What can hypoalbuminemia indicate? Answer: Higher likelihood of
excess free drug in the bloodstream causing toxicity
◉ What can decrease drug distribution? Answer: - Abscesses
- Exudates
- Glands
- Tumors
◉ Body tissue affinity. Answer: Some drugs accumulate in:
- Fat
- Bone
- Liver
, - Muscle
- Eye tissue
◉ what is metabolism? Answer: the method by which drugs are
inactivated by the body
◉ What is the primary site of drug metabolism? Answer: Liver
* liver enzymes transform active drugs into inactive metabolites or
water-soluble metabolites so they can be excreted by the kidneys
◉ What liver diseases can affect metabolism? Answer: - Hepatitis
- Cirrhosis
◉ What is the result of a decreased metabolism? Answer: Leads to
excess drug accumulation which can lead to toxicity
**Patients with decreased metabolisms will require lower drug dosages
◉ Define half-life. Answer: The time required for the amount of drug in
the body to decrease by 50%.
- For example if the half-life is one day, in 1 day, 50% is left; in 2 days,
25% is left; in 3 days, 12.5% is left; etc.
