NUR 4607 EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
RASMUSSEN COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF NURSING – FORT MYERS CAMPUS
NUR 4607: PHARMACOLOGY
STUDY GUIDE
EXAM #1
Kinetics and Dynamics
Phases of pharmacokinetics
o Absorption
o Distribution
o Metabolism
o Excretion
Issues related to each phase (e.g., change in gastric acidity and
its potential effect on an oral medication, etc.)
o Absorption: blood flow, pain, stress, hunger, fasting, food,
pH, exercise, mode of administration, gastric emptying
time/pH
o Distribution: drug competition for sites, higher protein bound
drugs displace lower protein bound drugs, low serum
albumin levels, low plasma protein levels
o Metabolism: first pass effect, liver and kidney function
o Excretion: renal conditions, urine pH, alcohol, tobacco,
herbals
Half-life and issues related to it
o Determines dosing schedule
Protein binding
o What is it: degree to which medications attach to proteins
within the blood
o Issues that affect it: high or low protein levels in blood
stream
o Competitive protein binding and consequence on drug levels
, Implication of the size of a med’s therapeutic window
o Level of the drug between minimal effective concentration in
the plasma for obtaining desired drug response and the
minimal toxic concentration
Autonomic Nervous System
Know the neurotransmitters for sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems
o Sympathetic (adrenergics): Ephinepherine (adrenaline),
norephinepherine, dopamine
o Parasympathetic (cholinergic): acetycholine
Concept of tone: firing rate?
Terms
o Cholinergic: parasympathetic
o Anticholinergic: cholinergic blocker
o Sympathetic: adrenergic
o Parasympathetic: cholinergic
o Sympathomimetic: “mimics” adrenergic
o Sympatholytic: adrenergic blocker
Cholinergic and Anti-Cholinergic Medications
Know desired actions
o Cholinergic: “rest and digest”, decreases BP/HR, increases
peristalsis/secretions, constricts pupils/bronchs, relaxes
sphincters
o Anti-cholinergic: opposite of cholinergic…”fight or flight”
Know side effects and how to assess and teaching/interventions
for them (e.g., urinary retention may require a urinary
catheter)
RASMUSSEN COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF NURSING – FORT MYERS CAMPUS
NUR 4607: PHARMACOLOGY
STUDY GUIDE
EXAM #1
Kinetics and Dynamics
Phases of pharmacokinetics
o Absorption
o Distribution
o Metabolism
o Excretion
Issues related to each phase (e.g., change in gastric acidity and
its potential effect on an oral medication, etc.)
o Absorption: blood flow, pain, stress, hunger, fasting, food,
pH, exercise, mode of administration, gastric emptying
time/pH
o Distribution: drug competition for sites, higher protein bound
drugs displace lower protein bound drugs, low serum
albumin levels, low plasma protein levels
o Metabolism: first pass effect, liver and kidney function
o Excretion: renal conditions, urine pH, alcohol, tobacco,
herbals
Half-life and issues related to it
o Determines dosing schedule
Protein binding
o What is it: degree to which medications attach to proteins
within the blood
o Issues that affect it: high or low protein levels in blood
stream
o Competitive protein binding and consequence on drug levels
, Implication of the size of a med’s therapeutic window
o Level of the drug between minimal effective concentration in
the plasma for obtaining desired drug response and the
minimal toxic concentration
Autonomic Nervous System
Know the neurotransmitters for sympathetic and
parasympathetic systems
o Sympathetic (adrenergics): Ephinepherine (adrenaline),
norephinepherine, dopamine
o Parasympathetic (cholinergic): acetycholine
Concept of tone: firing rate?
Terms
o Cholinergic: parasympathetic
o Anticholinergic: cholinergic blocker
o Sympathetic: adrenergic
o Parasympathetic: cholinergic
o Sympathomimetic: “mimics” adrenergic
o Sympatholytic: adrenergic blocker
Cholinergic and Anti-Cholinergic Medications
Know desired actions
o Cholinergic: “rest and digest”, decreases BP/HR, increases
peristalsis/secretions, constricts pupils/bronchs, relaxes
sphincters
o Anti-cholinergic: opposite of cholinergic…”fight or flight”
Know side effects and how to assess and teaching/interventions
for them (e.g., urinary retention may require a urinary
catheter)
