EXAM 2024 EXAM COMPLETE 230 QUESTIONS WITH
DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS (100% CORRECT
ANSWERS) /ALREADY GRADED A+
Pharmacokinetics - ANSWER: The process in which medications move through the
body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics? - ANSWER: absorption, distribution,
metabolism, excretion
Absorption - ANSWER: happens with drug movement from the GI tract into the
bloodstream. Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption - ANSWER: Takes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go
through the GI system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption - ANSWER: Absorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption - ANSWER: Absorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution - ANSWER: Dissolution happens when a po medication breaks down into
particles, disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from the
GI tract into the bloodstream occurs.
Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with the
absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution - ANSWER: Parenteral medications (SL, eyedrops,
inhalants, transdermal) do not pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill reaches
the small intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be crushed.
Factors that affect absorption - ANSWER: •Lack of muscle and increased fat changes
medicine absorption
•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
,•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients - ANSWER: Fillers and other substances that make up tablets as a pill is not
100% drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN, which
is not well absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the absorption of
PCN
first pass effect - ANSWER: •the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where some of
the drug becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying - ANSWER: Food doesn't move like it should
Distribution - ANSWER: refers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to
body tissues
Factors affecting distribution - ANSWER: -blood flow to tissues
-protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding - ANSWER: Drugs bind with proteins in blood
Some drugs are highly protein bound and other are weakly protein bound
free drugs - ANSWER: drugs not bound to protein
Drug Toxicity - ANSWER: -Two highly protein bound drugs compete and one might
accumulate and cause a toxicity
-it is important to know if you are administering highly protein bound medications
and monitor albumin levels in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-Some drugs that are highly protein bound include: Warfarin
Furosemide
Diazepam
Drug distribution and albumin - ANSWER: -A decrease in albumin levels decrease the
protein-binding sites, which means more of the free drug is circulated.
-This can be fatal with some meds.
-Free drugs are those not bound to protein, which means they are active in the body
and cause a pharmacologic response.
-Older adults, malnourished individuals, and those with liver or kidney disease have
low albumin levels.
Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) - ANSWER: -The BBB protects the brain from most drugs.
-Some meds are able to cross the BBB such as benzodiazepines.
, -Drugs can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortion or alter fetal growth
and development.
Metabolism - ANSWER: •Chemically changes drug to a form that can be excreted
•Liver primary site
half-life - ANSWER: •the time it takes for the drug in the body to be reduced by half
Loading dose - ANSWER: use of a higher dose than what is usually used for treatment
to allow the drug to reach the critical concentration (therapeutic level) sooner
•Blood thinner
•Antibiotic
Exceretion - ANSWER: the removal of waste products from medications which is
done mainly through the kidneys
Other routes for include lungs, sweat, saliva, and bile
Factors effecting excretion - ANSWER: Disorders in which the blood flow to the
kidneys is reduced will influence drug excretion.
Dehydration, CKD, and glomerulonephritis are examples.
Drug Elimination and Patients with Kidney Disease - ANSWER: Lab tests to determine
kidney and renal function include: Creatinine (0.5-1.1 female, 0.6-1.2 male) BUN (10-
20) eGFR (60-90+)
You should be aware of patients kidney function status as this will determine drug
dosage.)
Drug Elimination and patients with liver disease - ANSWER: Lab tests to determine
liver function include: ALT (4-36) and AST (0-35)
Onset - ANSWER: time it takes for drug to start working
Peak - ANSWER: highest concentration in blood
duration - ANSWER: length of therapeutic effect
Peak and Trough - ANSWER: •highest (30 minutes after giving) and lowest (right
before giving second dose) amount of drug in blood
Agonist - ANSWER: desired response
Antagonist - ANSWER: undesired response
side effects - ANSWER: Expected
Secondary effects
Can be desirable or undesirable
Report if effects are desirable or not