NR293 PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 2
COMPLETE REVIEW ACTUAL EXAM PAPER
2026 QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
100% CORRECT GRADED A+
◉ What is nociception? Answer: perception of pain
◉ what is a pain threshold? Answer: stimuli needed to produce the
sensation of pain
◉ what is a pain tolerance? Answer: different for everyone, amount of
pain a person can endure without interfering with normal functioning
◉ somatic pain Answer: originates from skeletal muscle, ligaments, and
joints
◉ referred pain Answer: pain that is felt in a location other than where
the pain originates
◉ visceral pain Answer: originates from organs and smooth muscle
◉ central pain Answer: marked by chronic pain stemming from damage
to CNS
,◉ bradykinin Answer: causes vasodilation
◉ What are adjuvant drugs? Answer: assist primary drugs in relieving
pain
◉ what are opioid drugs? Answer: synthetic drugs that bind to the opiate
receptors to relieve pain
◉ mild agonist opioid drugs Answer: codeine and hydrocodone
◉ strong agonists Answer: morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone,
meperidine, fentanyl, and methadone
◉ Can a nurse dilute opioid drugs in an iv? Answer: No, not unless the
pharmacy specifically says to and opioids should not be given through a
normal saline device
◉ what is the opioid ceiling effect? Answer: drug reaches a maximum
analgesic effect
◉ If you take 5 mg of a medication for pain, that 5 mg will go to
receptor sites to block pain signals but let's say you take 10 mg, What
will happen? Answer: . Even if you increase the dose, it will have the
same effect no matter how much you take, can have more of an adverse
effect (why the pt may take more and more of something and then take
more and then they begin to overdose.
,◉ what do opioid agonists do? Answer: bind to an opioid pain receptor
site to block pain
◉ what do opioid agonists-antagonists do? Answer: bind to a pain
receptor but causes a mixed response, weaker than full agonist
◉ what do opioid antagonists do? Answer: blocks or takes out the
agonist effects
ex: narcan reverses opioid overdose
◉ what is Equianalgesia? Answer: ability to provide equivalent pain
relief by calculating dosages that provide comparable analgesia.
◉ opioid analgesics contraindications Answer: known drug allergy,
severe asthma, COPD/respiratory insufficiency, pregnancy
◉ opioid analgesics indications Answer: moderate to severe pain (7+),
cough center suppression, diarrhea, balanced anesthesia
◉ A patient is recovering from an appendectomy. She also has asthma
and allergies to shellfish and iodine. To manage her postoperative pain,
the physician has prescribed patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with
hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Which vital sign is of greatest concern?
A.Pulse
, B.Blood pressure
C.Temperature
D. Respirations Answer: D. respirations
◉ opioid analgesics adverse effects Answer: CNS depression, GI upset,
urinary retention (check bladder distention), diaphoresis/flushing, pupil
constriction, constipation, itching
◉ what is a common opioid medication given for overdose? Answer:
Naloxone (Narcan)
◉ what do opioid analgesics interact with? Answer: alcohol,
antihistamines, barbiturates, benzos
◉ codeine sulfate Answer: less effective, more commonly used as an
antitussive
◉ fentanyl Answer: narrow therapeutic window; injection, patch,
lozenges
◉ Methadone Hydrochloride (Dolophine) Answer: synthetic opioid
analgesic, choice for detoxification for opioid addicts, prolonged QT
interval and causes cardiac dysrhythmias
◉ morphine sulfate Answer: opioid analgesic, prototype; used for severe
pain
COMPLETE REVIEW ACTUAL EXAM PAPER
2026 QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
100% CORRECT GRADED A+
◉ What is nociception? Answer: perception of pain
◉ what is a pain threshold? Answer: stimuli needed to produce the
sensation of pain
◉ what is a pain tolerance? Answer: different for everyone, amount of
pain a person can endure without interfering with normal functioning
◉ somatic pain Answer: originates from skeletal muscle, ligaments, and
joints
◉ referred pain Answer: pain that is felt in a location other than where
the pain originates
◉ visceral pain Answer: originates from organs and smooth muscle
◉ central pain Answer: marked by chronic pain stemming from damage
to CNS
,◉ bradykinin Answer: causes vasodilation
◉ What are adjuvant drugs? Answer: assist primary drugs in relieving
pain
◉ what are opioid drugs? Answer: synthetic drugs that bind to the opiate
receptors to relieve pain
◉ mild agonist opioid drugs Answer: codeine and hydrocodone
◉ strong agonists Answer: morphine, hydromorphone, oxycodone,
meperidine, fentanyl, and methadone
◉ Can a nurse dilute opioid drugs in an iv? Answer: No, not unless the
pharmacy specifically says to and opioids should not be given through a
normal saline device
◉ what is the opioid ceiling effect? Answer: drug reaches a maximum
analgesic effect
◉ If you take 5 mg of a medication for pain, that 5 mg will go to
receptor sites to block pain signals but let's say you take 10 mg, What
will happen? Answer: . Even if you increase the dose, it will have the
same effect no matter how much you take, can have more of an adverse
effect (why the pt may take more and more of something and then take
more and then they begin to overdose.
,◉ what do opioid agonists do? Answer: bind to an opioid pain receptor
site to block pain
◉ what do opioid agonists-antagonists do? Answer: bind to a pain
receptor but causes a mixed response, weaker than full agonist
◉ what do opioid antagonists do? Answer: blocks or takes out the
agonist effects
ex: narcan reverses opioid overdose
◉ what is Equianalgesia? Answer: ability to provide equivalent pain
relief by calculating dosages that provide comparable analgesia.
◉ opioid analgesics contraindications Answer: known drug allergy,
severe asthma, COPD/respiratory insufficiency, pregnancy
◉ opioid analgesics indications Answer: moderate to severe pain (7+),
cough center suppression, diarrhea, balanced anesthesia
◉ A patient is recovering from an appendectomy. She also has asthma
and allergies to shellfish and iodine. To manage her postoperative pain,
the physician has prescribed patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) with
hydromorphone (Dilaudid). Which vital sign is of greatest concern?
A.Pulse
, B.Blood pressure
C.Temperature
D. Respirations Answer: D. respirations
◉ opioid analgesics adverse effects Answer: CNS depression, GI upset,
urinary retention (check bladder distention), diaphoresis/flushing, pupil
constriction, constipation, itching
◉ what is a common opioid medication given for overdose? Answer:
Naloxone (Narcan)
◉ what do opioid analgesics interact with? Answer: alcohol,
antihistamines, barbiturates, benzos
◉ codeine sulfate Answer: less effective, more commonly used as an
antitussive
◉ fentanyl Answer: narrow therapeutic window; injection, patch,
lozenges
◉ Methadone Hydrochloride (Dolophine) Answer: synthetic opioid
analgesic, choice for detoxification for opioid addicts, prolonged QT
interval and causes cardiac dysrhythmias
◉ morphine sulfate Answer: opioid analgesic, prototype; used for severe
pain
