Advanced Pharmacology Final Exam Review
2026: Comprehensive Study Guide with Drug
Class Breakdown, Mechanisms of Action,
Practice Questions, and Proven Exam Success
Strategies
What is the effect of cardiac glycosides? - ✔✔ANSWER
✔✔-Digitalis glycosides have a negative chronotropic
effect on the cardiac muscle cells.
Why are nitrate-free periods every 24 hours necessary
for the patient on nitroglycerin therapy? - ✔✔ANSWER
✔✔-To inhibit the development of tolerance
,What does a low level of thyroid-stimulating hormone
indicate? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Hyperthroidism
What would be the best option to treat a newly
diagnosed patient with a low TSH level with? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Propanolol (Inderal)
Spironoaldactone (Aldactone) has what mechanism of
action (MOA)? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Aldosterone
antagonist
Heparin exerts its therapeutic action by what? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Upregulating the activity of one of the
body's natural anticoagulant molecules, antithrombin III
What physiologic action happens when the offending
drug is administered during an anaphylactic reaction. -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Mast cells liberate large doses of
histamine.
,What are two systemic psoriasis medications? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Photo-therapy and topical
corticosteroids
What is the first choice of drug therapy for the majority
of patients with uncomplicated stage I hypertension? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Thiazide diuretics
Amenorrhea is the most common side effect of which
birth control medication? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-
Medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera)
What is an anti-hypertensive agent which competes with
epinephrine for available beta-receptor sites? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Atenolol (Tenormin)
What type of action does nitrates have on the body? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Reduction in systemic venous tone.
What is the recommended level of low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) for patients with known
, coronary artery disease? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-100mg/dl or
less.
What is the MOA of group IV anti-dysrhythmia drugs? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Depressing phase 4 depolarization and
lengthening phases 1 and 2 repolarization.
Which drug therapy should be used to lower the serum
concentration of thyroid hormones and re-establish
eumetabolic state in a patient with Graves' disease? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Anti-thyroid drugs.
Which type of diuretic would be used for a stage I
hypertension in a patient with renal insufficiency? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Loop diuretic.
What drug should be considered as first-line therapy for
a client with hypertension and heart failure? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Enalapril (Vasotec)
2026: Comprehensive Study Guide with Drug
Class Breakdown, Mechanisms of Action,
Practice Questions, and Proven Exam Success
Strategies
What is the effect of cardiac glycosides? - ✔✔ANSWER
✔✔-Digitalis glycosides have a negative chronotropic
effect on the cardiac muscle cells.
Why are nitrate-free periods every 24 hours necessary
for the patient on nitroglycerin therapy? - ✔✔ANSWER
✔✔-To inhibit the development of tolerance
,What does a low level of thyroid-stimulating hormone
indicate? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Hyperthroidism
What would be the best option to treat a newly
diagnosed patient with a low TSH level with? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Propanolol (Inderal)
Spironoaldactone (Aldactone) has what mechanism of
action (MOA)? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Aldosterone
antagonist
Heparin exerts its therapeutic action by what? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Upregulating the activity of one of the
body's natural anticoagulant molecules, antithrombin III
What physiologic action happens when the offending
drug is administered during an anaphylactic reaction. -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Mast cells liberate large doses of
histamine.
,What are two systemic psoriasis medications? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Photo-therapy and topical
corticosteroids
What is the first choice of drug therapy for the majority
of patients with uncomplicated stage I hypertension? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Thiazide diuretics
Amenorrhea is the most common side effect of which
birth control medication? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-
Medroxyprogesterone (Depo-Provera)
What is an anti-hypertensive agent which competes with
epinephrine for available beta-receptor sites? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Atenolol (Tenormin)
What type of action does nitrates have on the body? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Reduction in systemic venous tone.
What is the recommended level of low-density
lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) for patients with known
, coronary artery disease? - ✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-100mg/dl or
less.
What is the MOA of group IV anti-dysrhythmia drugs? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Depressing phase 4 depolarization and
lengthening phases 1 and 2 repolarization.
Which drug therapy should be used to lower the serum
concentration of thyroid hormones and re-establish
eumetabolic state in a patient with Graves' disease? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Anti-thyroid drugs.
Which type of diuretic would be used for a stage I
hypertension in a patient with renal insufficiency? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Loop diuretic.
What drug should be considered as first-line therapy for
a client with hypertension and heart failure? -
✔✔ANSWER ✔✔-Enalapril (Vasotec)
