Galen NUR 210 Exam 3 Exam study guide
COMPLETE EXAM Questions and Answers
2026 LATEST UPDATE!!
Pharmacokinetics - answerThe process in which medications move through the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics? - answerabsorption, distribution,
metabolism, excretion
Absorption - answerhappens with drug movement from the GI tract into the
bloodstream. Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption - answerTakes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go through the
GI system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption - answerAbsorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption - answerAbsorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution - answerDissolution happens when a po medication breaks down into
particles, disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from the GI
tract into the bloodstream occurs.
Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with the
absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution - answerParenteral medications (SL, eyedrops, inhalants,
transdermal) do not pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill reaches the
small intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be crushed.
Factors that affect absorption - answer•Lack of muscle and increased fat changes
medicine absorption
,•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients - answerFillers and other substances that make up tablets as a pill is not
100% drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN, which is
not well absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the absorption of
PCN
first pass effect - answer•the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where some of the
drug becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying - answerFood doesn't move like it should
Distribution - answerrefers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body
tissues
Factors affecting distribution - answer-blood flow to tissues
-protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding - answerDrugs bind with proteins in blood
Some drugs are highly protein bound and other are weakly protein bound
free drugs - answerdrugs not bound to protein
Drug Toxicity - answer-Two highly protein bound drugs compete and one might
accumulate and cause a toxicity
-it is important to know if you are administering highly protein bound medications and
monitor albumin levels in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-Some drugs that are highly protein bound include: Warfarin
Furosemide
Diazepam
Drug distribution and albumin - answer-A decrease in albumin levels decrease the
protein-binding sites, which means more of the free drug is circulated.
-This can be fatal with some meds.
-Free drugs are those not bound to protein, which means they are active in the body
and cause a pharmacologic response.
, -Older adults, malnourished individuals, and those with liver or kidney disease have low
albumin levels.
Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) - answer-The BBB protects the brain from most drugs.
-Some meds are able to cross the BBB such as benzodiazepines.
-Drugs can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortion or alter fetal growth and
development.
Metabolism - answer•Chemically changes drug to a form that can be excreted
•Liver primary site
half-life - answer•the time it takes for the drug in the body to be reduced by half
Loading dose - answeruse of a higher dose than what is usually used for treatment to
allow the drug to reach the critical concentration (therapeutic level) sooner
•Blood thinner
•Antibiotic
Exceretion - answerthe removal of waste products from medications which is done
mainly through the kidneys
Other routes for include lungs, sweat, saliva, and bile
Factors effecting excretion - answerDisorders in which the blood flow to the kidneys is
reduced will influence drug excretion.
Dehydration, CKD, and glomerulonephritis are examples.
Drug Elimination and Patients with Kidney Disease - answerLab tests to determine
kidney and renal function include: Creatinine (0.5-1.1 female, 0.6-1.2 male) BUN (10-
20) eGFR (60-90+)
You should be aware of patients kidney function status as this will determine drug
dosage.)
Drug Elimination and patients with liver disease - answerLab tests to determine liver
function include: ALT (4-36) and AST (0-35)
Onset - answertime it takes for drug to start working
Peak - answerhighest concentration in blood
duration - answerlength of therapeutic effect
Peak and Trough - answer•highest (30 minutes after giving) and lowest (right before
giving second dose) amount of drug in blood
Agonist - answerdesired response
COMPLETE EXAM Questions and Answers
2026 LATEST UPDATE!!
Pharmacokinetics - answerThe process in which medications move through the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics? - answerabsorption, distribution,
metabolism, excretion
Absorption - answerhappens with drug movement from the GI tract into the
bloodstream. Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption - answerTakes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go through the
GI system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption - answerAbsorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption - answerAbsorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution - answerDissolution happens when a po medication breaks down into
particles, disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from the GI
tract into the bloodstream occurs.
Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with the
absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution - answerParenteral medications (SL, eyedrops, inhalants,
transdermal) do not pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill reaches the
small intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be crushed.
Factors that affect absorption - answer•Lack of muscle and increased fat changes
medicine absorption
,•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients - answerFillers and other substances that make up tablets as a pill is not
100% drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN, which is
not well absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the absorption of
PCN
first pass effect - answer•the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where some of the
drug becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying - answerFood doesn't move like it should
Distribution - answerrefers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body
tissues
Factors affecting distribution - answer-blood flow to tissues
-protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding - answerDrugs bind with proteins in blood
Some drugs are highly protein bound and other are weakly protein bound
free drugs - answerdrugs not bound to protein
Drug Toxicity - answer-Two highly protein bound drugs compete and one might
accumulate and cause a toxicity
-it is important to know if you are administering highly protein bound medications and
monitor albumin levels in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-Some drugs that are highly protein bound include: Warfarin
Furosemide
Diazepam
Drug distribution and albumin - answer-A decrease in albumin levels decrease the
protein-binding sites, which means more of the free drug is circulated.
-This can be fatal with some meds.
-Free drugs are those not bound to protein, which means they are active in the body
and cause a pharmacologic response.
, -Older adults, malnourished individuals, and those with liver or kidney disease have low
albumin levels.
Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) - answer-The BBB protects the brain from most drugs.
-Some meds are able to cross the BBB such as benzodiazepines.
-Drugs can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortion or alter fetal growth and
development.
Metabolism - answer•Chemically changes drug to a form that can be excreted
•Liver primary site
half-life - answer•the time it takes for the drug in the body to be reduced by half
Loading dose - answeruse of a higher dose than what is usually used for treatment to
allow the drug to reach the critical concentration (therapeutic level) sooner
•Blood thinner
•Antibiotic
Exceretion - answerthe removal of waste products from medications which is done
mainly through the kidneys
Other routes for include lungs, sweat, saliva, and bile
Factors effecting excretion - answerDisorders in which the blood flow to the kidneys is
reduced will influence drug excretion.
Dehydration, CKD, and glomerulonephritis are examples.
Drug Elimination and Patients with Kidney Disease - answerLab tests to determine
kidney and renal function include: Creatinine (0.5-1.1 female, 0.6-1.2 male) BUN (10-
20) eGFR (60-90+)
You should be aware of patients kidney function status as this will determine drug
dosage.)
Drug Elimination and patients with liver disease - answerLab tests to determine liver
function include: ALT (4-36) and AST (0-35)
Onset - answertime it takes for drug to start working
Peak - answerhighest concentration in blood
duration - answerlength of therapeutic effect
Peak and Trough - answer•highest (30 minutes after giving) and lowest (right before
giving second dose) amount of drug in blood
Agonist - answerdesired response
