NUR 210 Principles of Pharmacology - Exam 1 Practice 2026 |Galen
College
1. Which process describes what the body does to a drug?
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacognosy
C. Pharmacotherapeutics
D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of what the body does to the drug, including
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
2. A drug given by which route is subject to the first-pass effect?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Sublingual
D. Transdermal
Answer: A
Rationale: Oral medications are absorbed from the GI tract and carried to the liver via the
hepatic portal vein, where they may be metabolized before reaching systemic circulation.
,3. The time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by 50% is
called:
A. Onset of action
B. Peak level
C. Half-life
D. Duration of action
Answer: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time required for one-half of the drug to be eliminated from the
body.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of drugs?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Liver
D. Small Intestine
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism, utilizing the cytochrome P450
enzyme system.
5. What is the primary site for drug excretion?
A. Liver
B. Kidneys
C. Skin
D. Biliary tract
Answer: B
Rationale: The kidneys are the primary organs responsible for drug excretion through
glomerular filtration, tubular secretion, and reabsorption.
, 6. A patient with low serum albumin levels is at risk for which drug-related
issue?
A. Decreased drug absorption
B. Increased renal excretion
C. Reduced first-pass effect
D. Increased drug toxicity
Answer: D
Rationale: Drugs that are highly protein-bound will have more ‘free’ active drug in the
bloodstream if albumin is low, leading to potential toxicity.
7. Which phase of the nursing process involves the nurse gathering subjective
and objective data?
A. Implementation
B. Assessment
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment is the first step where the nurse collects data to establish a baseline
before administering medications.
8. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal response is called an:
A. Antagonist
B. Partial Agonist
C. Inhibitor
D. Agonist
Answer: D
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and triggers a biological response.
College
1. Which process describes what the body does to a drug?
A. Pharmacodynamics
B. Pharmacognosy
C. Pharmacotherapeutics
D. Pharmacokinetics
Answer: D
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of what the body does to the drug, including
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
2. A drug given by which route is subject to the first-pass effect?
A. Oral
B. Intravenous
C. Sublingual
D. Transdermal
Answer: A
Rationale: Oral medications are absorbed from the GI tract and carried to the liver via the
hepatic portal vein, where they may be metabolized before reaching systemic circulation.
,3. The time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by 50% is
called:
A. Onset of action
B. Peak level
C. Half-life
D. Duration of action
Answer: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time required for one-half of the drug to be eliminated from the
body.
4. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of drugs?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Liver
D. Small Intestine
Answer: C
Rationale: The liver is the primary site of drug metabolism, utilizing the cytochrome P450
enzyme system.
5. What is the primary site for drug excretion?
A. Liver
B. Kidneys
C. Skin
D. Biliary tract
Answer: B
Rationale: The kidneys are the primary organs responsible for drug excretion through
glomerular filtration, tubular secretion, and reabsorption.
, 6. A patient with low serum albumin levels is at risk for which drug-related
issue?
A. Decreased drug absorption
B. Increased renal excretion
C. Reduced first-pass effect
D. Increased drug toxicity
Answer: D
Rationale: Drugs that are highly protein-bound will have more ‘free’ active drug in the
bloodstream if albumin is low, leading to potential toxicity.
7. Which phase of the nursing process involves the nurse gathering subjective
and objective data?
A. Implementation
B. Assessment
C. Planning
D. Evaluation
Answer: B
Rationale: Assessment is the first step where the nurse collects data to establish a baseline
before administering medications.
8. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal response is called an:
A. Antagonist
B. Partial Agonist
C. Inhibitor
D. Agonist
Answer: D
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and triggers a biological response.
