1
Pharmacology Week 1
Question 1
A patient is treated with an antibiotic for an infection in his leg. After 2 days of taking the
antibiotic, the patient calls the clinic and reports that he has a rash all over his body. The
nurse is aware that a rash can be an adverse effect of an antibiotic and can be either a
biologic, chemical, or physiologic action of the drug, which is an example of
Response Pharmacodynamics is the biologic, chemical, and physiologic actions of a
Feedback: particular drug within the body and the study of how those actions occur,
including adverse effects. It is how the drug affects the body. The
pharmacodynamics of a drug is responsible for its therapeutic effects and
sometimes its adverse effects. Pharmacotherapeutics refers to the desired,
therapeutic effect of the drug. Pharmacokinetics is the changes that occur to
the drug while it is inside the body. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how
genetic variables affect the pharmacodynamics of a drug in a specific
patient.
Question 2
Which of the following statements best defines how a chemical becomes termed a drug?
Response Even though all the responses are correct, a chemical must undergo a series
Feedback: of tests to determine its therapeutic value and efficacy without severe
toxicity or damaging properties before it is termed a drug. Test results are
reported to the FDA, which may or may not give approval.
Question 3
A patient has been prescribed an oral drug that is known to have a high first-pass effect.
Which of the following measures has the potential to increase the amount of the free drug
that is available to body cells?
Response Unlike oral medications, drugs that are given intravenously do not initially
Feedback: pass through the liver. As a result, the first-pass effect is mitigated and more
of the drug is available to cells. Frequent oral doses, low protein intake, and
administration with food do not reduce the first-pass effect.
Question 4
The culture and sensitivity testing of a patient's wound exudate indicates that a specific
antibiotic is necessary for treatment. The United States Pharmacopeia–National Formulary
indicates that the drug in question is 96% protein bound. What are the implications of this
, 2
fact?
Response A drug that is 96% protein bound has only 4% of ingested molecules free
Feedback: and active, a fact that is likely to necessitate a high dose of the drug. This
does not result in rapid absorption and/or excretion and does not indicate a
need for increased protein intake.
Question 5
A patient has been prescribed several drugs and fluids to be given intravenously. Before the
nurse starts the intravenous administration, a priority assessment of the patient will be to
note the
Response Baseline body weight and height, heart rate, and blood pressure are all
Feedback: important considerations during the assessment of a patient. However, if a
patient has to be given drugs intravenously, it is important to inspect the
skin for rashes, moles, or sores, so those areas can be avoided as an
insertion or injection site.
Question 6
A 60-year-old African-American man lives with a number of chronic health problems.
Genetic factors are likely to influence his etiology and/or treatment of
Response The incidence of hypertension is significantly higher among African-
Feedback: Americans than other ethnic groups. As well, African Americans respond
to some antihypertensive drugs differently than whites.
Question 7
Talwin given in combination with Vistaril diminishes the adverse effects of nausea caused
by the Talwin. This drug interaction affecting the pharmacodynamics of the Talwin is
Response An antagonistic drug interaction results in a therapeutic effect that is less
Feedback: than the effect of either drug alone because the second drug either
diminishes or cancels the effects of the first drug. An additive effect occurs
when two or more “like” drugs are combined and the result is the sum of the
drugs' effects. A synergistic effect occurs when two or more “unlike” drugs
are used together to produce a combined effect and the outcome is a drug
effect greater than either drug's activity alone. Potentiation is an interaction
in which the effect of only one of the two drugs is increased.
Question 8
Pharmacology Week 1
Question 1
A patient is treated with an antibiotic for an infection in his leg. After 2 days of taking the
antibiotic, the patient calls the clinic and reports that he has a rash all over his body. The
nurse is aware that a rash can be an adverse effect of an antibiotic and can be either a
biologic, chemical, or physiologic action of the drug, which is an example of
Response Pharmacodynamics is the biologic, chemical, and physiologic actions of a
Feedback: particular drug within the body and the study of how those actions occur,
including adverse effects. It is how the drug affects the body. The
pharmacodynamics of a drug is responsible for its therapeutic effects and
sometimes its adverse effects. Pharmacotherapeutics refers to the desired,
therapeutic effect of the drug. Pharmacokinetics is the changes that occur to
the drug while it is inside the body. Pharmacogenetics is the study of how
genetic variables affect the pharmacodynamics of a drug in a specific
patient.
Question 2
Which of the following statements best defines how a chemical becomes termed a drug?
Response Even though all the responses are correct, a chemical must undergo a series
Feedback: of tests to determine its therapeutic value and efficacy without severe
toxicity or damaging properties before it is termed a drug. Test results are
reported to the FDA, which may or may not give approval.
Question 3
A patient has been prescribed an oral drug that is known to have a high first-pass effect.
Which of the following measures has the potential to increase the amount of the free drug
that is available to body cells?
Response Unlike oral medications, drugs that are given intravenously do not initially
Feedback: pass through the liver. As a result, the first-pass effect is mitigated and more
of the drug is available to cells. Frequent oral doses, low protein intake, and
administration with food do not reduce the first-pass effect.
Question 4
The culture and sensitivity testing of a patient's wound exudate indicates that a specific
antibiotic is necessary for treatment. The United States Pharmacopeia–National Formulary
indicates that the drug in question is 96% protein bound. What are the implications of this
, 2
fact?
Response A drug that is 96% protein bound has only 4% of ingested molecules free
Feedback: and active, a fact that is likely to necessitate a high dose of the drug. This
does not result in rapid absorption and/or excretion and does not indicate a
need for increased protein intake.
Question 5
A patient has been prescribed several drugs and fluids to be given intravenously. Before the
nurse starts the intravenous administration, a priority assessment of the patient will be to
note the
Response Baseline body weight and height, heart rate, and blood pressure are all
Feedback: important considerations during the assessment of a patient. However, if a
patient has to be given drugs intravenously, it is important to inspect the
skin for rashes, moles, or sores, so those areas can be avoided as an
insertion or injection site.
Question 6
A 60-year-old African-American man lives with a number of chronic health problems.
Genetic factors are likely to influence his etiology and/or treatment of
Response The incidence of hypertension is significantly higher among African-
Feedback: Americans than other ethnic groups. As well, African Americans respond
to some antihypertensive drugs differently than whites.
Question 7
Talwin given in combination with Vistaril diminishes the adverse effects of nausea caused
by the Talwin. This drug interaction affecting the pharmacodynamics of the Talwin is
Response An antagonistic drug interaction results in a therapeutic effect that is less
Feedback: than the effect of either drug alone because the second drug either
diminishes or cancels the effects of the first drug. An additive effect occurs
when two or more “like” drugs are combined and the result is the sum of the
drugs' effects. A synergistic effect occurs when two or more “unlike” drugs
are used together to produce a combined effect and the outcome is a drug
effect greater than either drug's activity alone. Potentiation is an interaction
in which the effect of only one of the two drugs is increased.
Question 8
