NURS 6521N Advanced Pharmacology Test
Bank – Q & A with Rationales 190 Questions
Based on Haveles: Applied Pharmacology for
the Dental Hygienist, 8th Edition, Chapter 2
(Drug Action and Handling)
1. A drug is defined as a biologically active substance that can modify
a. the environment.
b. the pH of tissue.
c. cellular function.
d. immune response.
Answer: c
Rationale: A drug can modify cellular function. A general understanding of drug
action allows the dental hygienist to make informed decisions regarding possible
drug interactions or adverse reactions for the patient.
2. In comparing two drugs, the dose-response curve for the drug that is more
efficacious would
a. be closer to the y-axis.
b. be farther from the y-axis.
c. have a greater curve height.
d. have a higher median effective dose (ED₅₀).
Answer: c
Rationale: Efficacy is the maximum intensity of effect a drug can produce. A more
efficacious drug has a higher maximal response (greater curve height). Potency
(location on the x-axis) is a different measure.
3. Administering a drug of greater potency is better because drugs of greater
potency do not require as high a dose.
a. Both parts of the statement are true.
,b. Both parts of the statement are false.
c. The first part of the statement is true; the second part is false.
d. The first part of the statement is false; the second part is true.
Answer: d
Rationale: Absolute potency is not inherently “better”; a less potent drug can be
equally effective if the dose is adjusted. However, it is true that more potent drugs
require lower doses to achieve the same effect.
4. Which of the following statements is true regarding the therapeutic index (TI) of
a drug?
a. A drug with a large TI is more dangerous than a drug with a small TI.
b. The formula for TI is ED₅₀ / LD₅₀.
c. ED₅₀ is 50% of the effective clinical dose.
d. TI is the ratio of the median lethal dose to the median effective dose.
Answer: d
*Rationale: TI = LD₅₀ / ED₅₀ (or TD₅₀/ED₅₀). A larger TI indicates a wider margin
of safety, not more danger. ED₅₀ is the dose effective in 50% of the population.*
5. The term “pharmacodynamics” refers to
a. what the drug does to the body.
b. what the body does to the drug.
c. the movement of drugs through the body.
d. the study of drug toxicity.
Answer: a
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes the biochemical and physiologic effects
of drugs and their mechanisms of action. Pharmacokinetics is what the body does
to the drug.
6. Bioavailability is defined as
a. the time it takes for a drug to reach peak plasma concentration.
b. the fraction of an administered dose that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged.
,c. the amount of drug that is bound to plasma proteins.
d. the rate at which a drug is eliminated from the body.
Answer: b
Rationale: Bioavailability (F) is the proportion of drug that enters the systemic
circulation. It is influenced by absorption and first-pass metabolism.
7. Which of the following routes of administration has the highest bioavailability?
a. Oral
b. Sublingual
c. Intravenous
d. Intramuscular
Answer: c
Rationale: IV administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, giving
100% bioavailability. Other routes are subject to absorption barriers.
8. The volume of distribution (Vd) of a drug reflects
a. the extent of drug binding to plasma proteins.
b. the extent to which a drug distributes into body tissues.
c. the rate of drug elimination.
d. the fraction of drug that is absorbed.
Answer: b
Rationale: Vd is a theoretical volume that relates the amount of drug in the body to
the plasma concentration. High Vd indicates extensive tissue distribution.
9. A drug with a high volume of distribution is likely to be
a. highly lipophilic and extensively bound to tissues.
b. hydrophilic and confined to the vascular space.
c. highly ionized at physiologic pH.
d. eliminated primarily by the kidneys unchanged.
Answer: a
Rationale: Lipophilic drugs cross cell membranes easily and accumulate in tissues,
leading to a large Vd.
, 10. The half-life (t½) of a drug is the time required for
a. the drug to reach steady state.
b. the plasma concentration of the drug to decrease by 50%.
c. 50% of the drug to be excreted.
d. the drug to be completely eliminated.
Answer: b
Rationale: Half-life is a pharmacokinetic parameter that describes the rate of
elimination. Approximately five half-lives are needed for a drug to be nearly
completely eliminated.
11. Which of the following factors does NOT affect drug absorption from the
gastrointestinal tract?
a. Gastric emptying time
b. Liver blood flow (affects first-pass metabolism, not absorption directly)
c. pH of the gastrointestinal fluids
d. Presence of food in the stomach
Answer: b
Rationale: Liver blood flow affects first-pass metabolism after absorption, not the
absorption process itself. The other factors directly influence absorption.
12. First-pass metabolism occurs primarily in the
a. kidney.
b. liver.
c. lungs.
d. intestines.
Answer: b
Rationale: After oral administration, drugs absorbed from the GI tract travel via
the portal vein to the liver, where they may be extensively metabolized before
reaching systemic circulation.
Bank – Q & A with Rationales 190 Questions
Based on Haveles: Applied Pharmacology for
the Dental Hygienist, 8th Edition, Chapter 2
(Drug Action and Handling)
1. A drug is defined as a biologically active substance that can modify
a. the environment.
b. the pH of tissue.
c. cellular function.
d. immune response.
Answer: c
Rationale: A drug can modify cellular function. A general understanding of drug
action allows the dental hygienist to make informed decisions regarding possible
drug interactions or adverse reactions for the patient.
2. In comparing two drugs, the dose-response curve for the drug that is more
efficacious would
a. be closer to the y-axis.
b. be farther from the y-axis.
c. have a greater curve height.
d. have a higher median effective dose (ED₅₀).
Answer: c
Rationale: Efficacy is the maximum intensity of effect a drug can produce. A more
efficacious drug has a higher maximal response (greater curve height). Potency
(location on the x-axis) is a different measure.
3. Administering a drug of greater potency is better because drugs of greater
potency do not require as high a dose.
a. Both parts of the statement are true.
,b. Both parts of the statement are false.
c. The first part of the statement is true; the second part is false.
d. The first part of the statement is false; the second part is true.
Answer: d
Rationale: Absolute potency is not inherently “better”; a less potent drug can be
equally effective if the dose is adjusted. However, it is true that more potent drugs
require lower doses to achieve the same effect.
4. Which of the following statements is true regarding the therapeutic index (TI) of
a drug?
a. A drug with a large TI is more dangerous than a drug with a small TI.
b. The formula for TI is ED₅₀ / LD₅₀.
c. ED₅₀ is 50% of the effective clinical dose.
d. TI is the ratio of the median lethal dose to the median effective dose.
Answer: d
*Rationale: TI = LD₅₀ / ED₅₀ (or TD₅₀/ED₅₀). A larger TI indicates a wider margin
of safety, not more danger. ED₅₀ is the dose effective in 50% of the population.*
5. The term “pharmacodynamics” refers to
a. what the drug does to the body.
b. what the body does to the drug.
c. the movement of drugs through the body.
d. the study of drug toxicity.
Answer: a
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes the biochemical and physiologic effects
of drugs and their mechanisms of action. Pharmacokinetics is what the body does
to the drug.
6. Bioavailability is defined as
a. the time it takes for a drug to reach peak plasma concentration.
b. the fraction of an administered dose that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged.
,c. the amount of drug that is bound to plasma proteins.
d. the rate at which a drug is eliminated from the body.
Answer: b
Rationale: Bioavailability (F) is the proportion of drug that enters the systemic
circulation. It is influenced by absorption and first-pass metabolism.
7. Which of the following routes of administration has the highest bioavailability?
a. Oral
b. Sublingual
c. Intravenous
d. Intramuscular
Answer: c
Rationale: IV administration delivers the drug directly into the bloodstream, giving
100% bioavailability. Other routes are subject to absorption barriers.
8. The volume of distribution (Vd) of a drug reflects
a. the extent of drug binding to plasma proteins.
b. the extent to which a drug distributes into body tissues.
c. the rate of drug elimination.
d. the fraction of drug that is absorbed.
Answer: b
Rationale: Vd is a theoretical volume that relates the amount of drug in the body to
the plasma concentration. High Vd indicates extensive tissue distribution.
9. A drug with a high volume of distribution is likely to be
a. highly lipophilic and extensively bound to tissues.
b. hydrophilic and confined to the vascular space.
c. highly ionized at physiologic pH.
d. eliminated primarily by the kidneys unchanged.
Answer: a
Rationale: Lipophilic drugs cross cell membranes easily and accumulate in tissues,
leading to a large Vd.
, 10. The half-life (t½) of a drug is the time required for
a. the drug to reach steady state.
b. the plasma concentration of the drug to decrease by 50%.
c. 50% of the drug to be excreted.
d. the drug to be completely eliminated.
Answer: b
Rationale: Half-life is a pharmacokinetic parameter that describes the rate of
elimination. Approximately five half-lives are needed for a drug to be nearly
completely eliminated.
11. Which of the following factors does NOT affect drug absorption from the
gastrointestinal tract?
a. Gastric emptying time
b. Liver blood flow (affects first-pass metabolism, not absorption directly)
c. pH of the gastrointestinal fluids
d. Presence of food in the stomach
Answer: b
Rationale: Liver blood flow affects first-pass metabolism after absorption, not the
absorption process itself. The other factors directly influence absorption.
12. First-pass metabolism occurs primarily in the
a. kidney.
b. liver.
c. lungs.
d. intestines.
Answer: b
Rationale: After oral administration, drugs absorbed from the GI tract travel via
the portal vein to the liver, where they may be extensively metabolized before
reaching systemic circulation.
