NUR210 Exam 2: Principles of Pharmacology Questions and Answers
and Explanations | Latest Galen
1. Which process describes what the body does to a drug?
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacogenomics
C. Pharmacotherapy
D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D
Explanation: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, including
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
2. The ‘first-pass effect’ refers to which pharmacological process?
A. Rapid excretion by the kidneys
B. Metabolism of a drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation
C. Distribution to the brain
D. Absorption through the gastric mucosa
Answer: B
Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when an oral drug is metabolized by the liver
immediately after absorption from the GI tract, reducing its bioavailability.
,3. Which route of administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Intravenous
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Oral
Answer: A
Explanation: Intravenous (IV) administration bypasses absorption barriers and the first-
pass effect, making the entire dose available to the systemic circulation.
4. What is the primary site of drug metabolism in the human body?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Liver
D. Small Intestine
Answer: C
Explanation: The liver is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism, utilizing
cytochrome P450 enzymes.
5. If a drug has a half-life of 4 hours and 100 mg is administered, how much drug
remains after 8 hours?
A. 50 mg
B. 12.5 mg
,C. 25 mg
D. 0 mg
Answer: C
Explanation: After one half-life (4 hours), 50 mg remains. After two half-lives (8 hours), 25
mg remains.
6. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a physiological response is
called:
A. An antagonist
B. A blocker
C. A catalyst
D. An agonist
Answer: D
Explanation: Agonists are drugs that occupy receptors and activate them to produce a
response.
7. What does a ‘narrow therapeutic index’ indicate about a drug?
A. The drug is very safe and requires no monitoring
B. The drug takes a long time to start working
C. The difference between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is small
D. The drug must be taken with food
Answer: C
, Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a slim margin of safety, requiring
close monitoring of blood levels to avoid toxicity.
8. Which protein is most commonly involved in drug distribution and binding?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Globulin
C. Albumin
D. Fibrinogen
Answer: C
Explanation: Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein and often binds to drugs; only
the ‘free’ or unbound drug is pharmacologically active.
9. What is the primary organ responsible for drug excretion?
A. Liver
B. Skin
C. Kidneys
D. Lungs
Answer: C
Explanation: The kidneys are the primary organs for drug excretion, filtering drugs out of
the blood into the urine.
and Explanations | Latest Galen
1. Which process describes what the body does to a drug?
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacogenomics
C. Pharmacotherapy
D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D
Explanation: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, including
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
2. The ‘first-pass effect’ refers to which pharmacological process?
A. Rapid excretion by the kidneys
B. Metabolism of a drug by the liver before it reaches systemic circulation
C. Distribution to the brain
D. Absorption through the gastric mucosa
Answer: B
Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when an oral drug is metabolized by the liver
immediately after absorption from the GI tract, reducing its bioavailability.
,3. Which route of administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Intravenous
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Oral
Answer: A
Explanation: Intravenous (IV) administration bypasses absorption barriers and the first-
pass effect, making the entire dose available to the systemic circulation.
4. What is the primary site of drug metabolism in the human body?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Liver
D. Small Intestine
Answer: C
Explanation: The liver is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism, utilizing
cytochrome P450 enzymes.
5. If a drug has a half-life of 4 hours and 100 mg is administered, how much drug
remains after 8 hours?
A. 50 mg
B. 12.5 mg
,C. 25 mg
D. 0 mg
Answer: C
Explanation: After one half-life (4 hours), 50 mg remains. After two half-lives (8 hours), 25
mg remains.
6. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a physiological response is
called:
A. An antagonist
B. A blocker
C. A catalyst
D. An agonist
Answer: D
Explanation: Agonists are drugs that occupy receptors and activate them to produce a
response.
7. What does a ‘narrow therapeutic index’ indicate about a drug?
A. The drug is very safe and requires no monitoring
B. The drug takes a long time to start working
C. The difference between a therapeutic dose and a toxic dose is small
D. The drug must be taken with food
Answer: C
, Explanation: A narrow therapeutic index means there is a slim margin of safety, requiring
close monitoring of blood levels to avoid toxicity.
8. Which protein is most commonly involved in drug distribution and binding?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Globulin
C. Albumin
D. Fibrinogen
Answer: C
Explanation: Albumin is the most abundant plasma protein and often binds to drugs; only
the ‘free’ or unbound drug is pharmacologically active.
9. What is the primary organ responsible for drug excretion?
A. Liver
B. Skin
C. Kidneys
D. Lungs
Answer: C
Explanation: The kidneys are the primary organs for drug excretion, filtering drugs out of
the blood into the urine.
