NR283 / NR-283: PATHOPHYSIOLOGY | CHAMBERLAIN COLLEGE OF NURSING |
100% VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
1. What is pharmacology? The study of drugs and their interactions with living
systems.
2. What is pharmacotherapeutics? The use of drugs to prevent, treat, or
diagnose disease.
3. What is pharmacokinetics? The study of what the body does to a drug
(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion).
4. What is pharmacodynamics? The study of what the drug does to the body
(mechanism of action and effects).
5. What is the pharmaceutical phase? Disintegration of the dosage form and
dissolution of the drug in body fluids.
6. What are the four processes of pharmacokinetics? Absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
7. What is bioavailability? The fraction of an administered dose of unchanged
drug that reaches systemic circulation.
8. What is the first-pass effect? The metabolism of a drug in the liver after
absorption from the GI tract before it reaches systemic circulation.
9. What factors affect drug absorption? Route of administration, blood flow,
lipid solubility, pH, and surface area.
10. What is a drug's half-life (t½)? The time required for the plasma
concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%.
11. Why is half-life clinically important? It determines dosing intervals and
how long it takes to reach steady-state concentration.
,12. What is steady-state concentration? The point at which drug elimination
equals drug administration, typically reached after 4–5 half-lives.
13. What is the therapeutic index? The ratio between the toxic dose and the
therapeutic dose of a drug (TI = TD50/ED50).
14. What is a narrow therapeutic index (NTI) drug? A drug where the toxic
dose is close to the therapeutic dose (e.g., digoxin, warfarin, lithium,
phenytoin).
15. What is a loading dose? A higher initial dose given to rapidly achieve
therapeutic plasma levels.
16. What is a maintenance dose? The regular dose given to maintain
therapeutic plasma levels after the loading dose.
17. What is an agonist? A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it,
producing a biological response.
18. What is an antagonist? A drug that binds to a receptor but does not
activate it, blocking the action of agonists.
19. What is a partial agonist? A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a
submaximal response compared to a full agonist.
20. What is a competitive antagonist? A drug that competes with an agonist
for receptor binding; its effect can be overcome by increasing agonist
concentration.
21. What is a noncompetitive antagonist? A drug that binds irreversibly to a
receptor or downstream pathway; its effect cannot be overcome by increasing
agonist concentration.
22. What is the difference between affinity and efficacy? Affinity is the
strength of binding to a receptor; efficacy is the ability to produce a biological
response once bound.
23. What is a drug's mechanism of action? The specific biochemical
interaction through which a drug produces its pharmacological effect.
24. What is a side effect? An expected, predictable, and often unavoidable
secondary effect of a drug.
25. What is an adverse drug reaction (ADR)? Any noxious, unintended, and
undesired effect of a drug at doses used for prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy.
, 26. What is an idiosyncratic reaction? An unpredictable, genetically
determined abnormal drug response not related to dose.
27. What is a hypersensitivity reaction (allergy)? An immune-mediated
response to a drug involving antibodies or T-cells.
28. What is anaphylaxis? A severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction
involving bronchospasm, hypotension, and edema.
29. What is the difference between tolerance and dependence? Tolerance is a
decreased response to a drug over time; dependence is a physiological or
psychological need for a drug.
30. What is drug potentiation? When one drug enhances the effect of another
drug without having a similar effect itself.
SECTION 2: MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION & SAFETY (Questions 31–60)
31. What are the "Six Rights" of medication administration? Right patient,
right drug, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation.
32. What is the "Three Checks" rule? Checking the medication when retrieving
it, when preparing it, and at the bedside before administration.
33. What are the three types of drug names? Chemical name, generic
(nonproprietary) name, and brand (trade/proprietary) name.
34. What is the difference between a generic and brand name drug? Generic
names are nonproprietary (acetaminophen); brand names are trademarked
(Tylenol).
35. What is enteral administration? Administration via the GI tract (oral,
sublingual, buccal, rectal).
36. What is parenteral administration? Administration outside the GI tract (IV,
IM, SC, intrathecal, intraosseous).
37. What is the fastest route of drug absorption? Intravenous (IV) — 100%
bioavailability, immediate effect.
38. What is sublingual administration? Placing medication under the tongue
for absorption through oral mucosa (avoids first-pass effect).
100% VERIFIED EXAM QUESTIONS & ANSWERS | LATEST 2026/2027 VERSION
(PASS GUARANTEE)
1. What is pharmacology? The study of drugs and their interactions with living
systems.
2. What is pharmacotherapeutics? The use of drugs to prevent, treat, or
diagnose disease.
3. What is pharmacokinetics? The study of what the body does to a drug
(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion).
4. What is pharmacodynamics? The study of what the drug does to the body
(mechanism of action and effects).
5. What is the pharmaceutical phase? Disintegration of the dosage form and
dissolution of the drug in body fluids.
6. What are the four processes of pharmacokinetics? Absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
7. What is bioavailability? The fraction of an administered dose of unchanged
drug that reaches systemic circulation.
8. What is the first-pass effect? The metabolism of a drug in the liver after
absorption from the GI tract before it reaches systemic circulation.
9. What factors affect drug absorption? Route of administration, blood flow,
lipid solubility, pH, and surface area.
10. What is a drug's half-life (t½)? The time required for the plasma
concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%.
11. Why is half-life clinically important? It determines dosing intervals and
how long it takes to reach steady-state concentration.
,12. What is steady-state concentration? The point at which drug elimination
equals drug administration, typically reached after 4–5 half-lives.
13. What is the therapeutic index? The ratio between the toxic dose and the
therapeutic dose of a drug (TI = TD50/ED50).
14. What is a narrow therapeutic index (NTI) drug? A drug where the toxic
dose is close to the therapeutic dose (e.g., digoxin, warfarin, lithium,
phenytoin).
15. What is a loading dose? A higher initial dose given to rapidly achieve
therapeutic plasma levels.
16. What is a maintenance dose? The regular dose given to maintain
therapeutic plasma levels after the loading dose.
17. What is an agonist? A drug that binds to a receptor and activates it,
producing a biological response.
18. What is an antagonist? A drug that binds to a receptor but does not
activate it, blocking the action of agonists.
19. What is a partial agonist? A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a
submaximal response compared to a full agonist.
20. What is a competitive antagonist? A drug that competes with an agonist
for receptor binding; its effect can be overcome by increasing agonist
concentration.
21. What is a noncompetitive antagonist? A drug that binds irreversibly to a
receptor or downstream pathway; its effect cannot be overcome by increasing
agonist concentration.
22. What is the difference between affinity and efficacy? Affinity is the
strength of binding to a receptor; efficacy is the ability to produce a biological
response once bound.
23. What is a drug's mechanism of action? The specific biochemical
interaction through which a drug produces its pharmacological effect.
24. What is a side effect? An expected, predictable, and often unavoidable
secondary effect of a drug.
25. What is an adverse drug reaction (ADR)? Any noxious, unintended, and
undesired effect of a drug at doses used for prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy.
, 26. What is an idiosyncratic reaction? An unpredictable, genetically
determined abnormal drug response not related to dose.
27. What is a hypersensitivity reaction (allergy)? An immune-mediated
response to a drug involving antibodies or T-cells.
28. What is anaphylaxis? A severe, life-threatening hypersensitivity reaction
involving bronchospasm, hypotension, and edema.
29. What is the difference between tolerance and dependence? Tolerance is a
decreased response to a drug over time; dependence is a physiological or
psychological need for a drug.
30. What is drug potentiation? When one drug enhances the effect of another
drug without having a similar effect itself.
SECTION 2: MEDICATION ADMINISTRATION & SAFETY (Questions 31–60)
31. What are the "Six Rights" of medication administration? Right patient,
right drug, right dose, right route, right time, and right documentation.
32. What is the "Three Checks" rule? Checking the medication when retrieving
it, when preparing it, and at the bedside before administration.
33. What are the three types of drug names? Chemical name, generic
(nonproprietary) name, and brand (trade/proprietary) name.
34. What is the difference between a generic and brand name drug? Generic
names are nonproprietary (acetaminophen); brand names are trademarked
(Tylenol).
35. What is enteral administration? Administration via the GI tract (oral,
sublingual, buccal, rectal).
36. What is parenteral administration? Administration outside the GI tract (IV,
IM, SC, intrathecal, intraosseous).
37. What is the fastest route of drug absorption? Intravenous (IV) — 100%
bioavailability, immediate effect.
38. What is sublingual administration? Placing medication under the tongue
for absorption through oral mucosa (avoids first-pass effect).
