1|Page
NURS 3205 – Pharmacology Test 1 Study Guide – Real Exam Questions &
100% Verified Answers – LATEST UPDATED MAY 2025 – Nursing
Pharmacology Prep
rapid acting aspart and lispro-
CORRECT ANSWER
onset: 15-30 minutes.
peak: 1-2 hours.
duration: 3-6 hours.
short acting regular insulin-
CORRECT ANSWER
Onset: 30 min - 1 hr
Peak: 1-5 hours
Duration: 6-10 hours
long acting glargine and detemir-
CORRECT ANSWER
onset: 1 hour
peak: none
duration: 24 hours. Or 12-24 hours.
pregnant women-
CORRECT ANSWER
Pregnancy safety categories tell us if we can give drugs to _______.
A) no risk to human fetus
B) no risk to animal fetus
C) adverse effects to animal fetus
D) possible fetal risks for humans
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X) fetal abnormalities
pharmaceutics-
CORRECT ANSWER
The science of preparing and dispensing drugs, including dosage form design.
Has to do with convenience and compliance. People stop taking drugs when they start feeling better. Example)
3 day dosing once a day works better. They're more likely to take it. Combination drugs work good, several
drugs in one pill (better compliance).
Pharmacokinetics-
CORRECT ANSWER
how a medication travels through the body and the biochemical process they go through; usually oral drugs
Digestive motility-
CORRECT ANSWER
the amount of ________ influences how quickly meds are absorbed
heart, kidney, liver, and brain-
CORRECT ANSWER
these organs get the most blood flow
skin, bone, adipose tissue-
CORRECT ANSWER
these get the least blood flow
protein binding-
CORRECT ANSWER
check drug levels more often. Stopping one drug can open up sites on protein so that another drug is pulled
from free state into protein binding and levels of second drug decrease in free state.
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first pass effect-
CORRECT ANSWER
medicine that is taken orally has to go through the liver; so if liver problem, drug won't work.
high ______ means there's lots of inactive metabolites so not as much d rug actually used in the body. Oral
drugs don't give 100% bio-availability. IV is 100% bioavailability so smaller dose needed.
metabolites-
CORRECT ANSWER
______ are substances in drug that are either used or not by the body
kidneys-
CORRECT ANSWER
excretion or elimination of meds from body occurs primarily through the _____. If someone is renally impaired,
monitor BUN, Creatinine, and GFR. Give them lower dose of drug since they can't get rid of it as fast.
buccal/sublingual-
CORRECT ANSWER
type of drug absorption. enters bloodstream and bypasses liver.
therapeutic index-
CORRECT ANSWER
Ratio of a drug's toxic level to the level that provides therapeutic benefits.
High TI: safe at one dosage for everyone
Low TI: whole array of dosage levels. If changed slightly, big effects. Specific to patient
trough lab-
CORRECT ANSWER
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to figure out therapeutic index, do _______. Check blood level of drug at trough. Right before you give med.
insulin pumps-
CORRECT ANSWER
usually for type 1 diabetics. Helps regulate a hard to manage blood glucose. Used for "brittle" diabetics.
Uses only short or rapid acting insulin. Requires frequent blood sugars.
sliding scale-
CORRECT ANSWER
use aspart and lispro (rapid acting insulins) for this
metformin-
CORRECT ANSWER
suppresses gluconeogenesis (liver releasing glucose into blood). Increases muscles' glucose uptake and use.
Contraindications: shock, hypoxia, renal failure. If used with constrast/dye, can cause renal failure. Can cause
lactic acidosis
lactic acidosis-
CORRECT ANSWER
a possible side effect of metformin. Buildup of lactate in system. Metabolic imbalance. pH is really low (acidic).
Drowsy, rapid breathing.
SGLT-2-
CORRECT ANSWER
canagliflozin and dapaglifozin
works by increased secretion of glucose through the urine. Side effects: UTI's and yeast infections. Promotes
weight loss; less sugar absorbed.
NURS 3205 – Pharmacology Test 1 Study Guide – Real Exam Questions &
100% Verified Answers – LATEST UPDATED MAY 2025 – Nursing
Pharmacology Prep
rapid acting aspart and lispro-
CORRECT ANSWER
onset: 15-30 minutes.
peak: 1-2 hours.
duration: 3-6 hours.
short acting regular insulin-
CORRECT ANSWER
Onset: 30 min - 1 hr
Peak: 1-5 hours
Duration: 6-10 hours
long acting glargine and detemir-
CORRECT ANSWER
onset: 1 hour
peak: none
duration: 24 hours. Or 12-24 hours.
pregnant women-
CORRECT ANSWER
Pregnancy safety categories tell us if we can give drugs to _______.
A) no risk to human fetus
B) no risk to animal fetus
C) adverse effects to animal fetus
D) possible fetal risks for humans
,2|Page
X) fetal abnormalities
pharmaceutics-
CORRECT ANSWER
The science of preparing and dispensing drugs, including dosage form design.
Has to do with convenience and compliance. People stop taking drugs when they start feeling better. Example)
3 day dosing once a day works better. They're more likely to take it. Combination drugs work good, several
drugs in one pill (better compliance).
Pharmacokinetics-
CORRECT ANSWER
how a medication travels through the body and the biochemical process they go through; usually oral drugs
Digestive motility-
CORRECT ANSWER
the amount of ________ influences how quickly meds are absorbed
heart, kidney, liver, and brain-
CORRECT ANSWER
these organs get the most blood flow
skin, bone, adipose tissue-
CORRECT ANSWER
these get the least blood flow
protein binding-
CORRECT ANSWER
check drug levels more often. Stopping one drug can open up sites on protein so that another drug is pulled
from free state into protein binding and levels of second drug decrease in free state.
,3|Page
first pass effect-
CORRECT ANSWER
medicine that is taken orally has to go through the liver; so if liver problem, drug won't work.
high ______ means there's lots of inactive metabolites so not as much d rug actually used in the body. Oral
drugs don't give 100% bio-availability. IV is 100% bioavailability so smaller dose needed.
metabolites-
CORRECT ANSWER
______ are substances in drug that are either used or not by the body
kidneys-
CORRECT ANSWER
excretion or elimination of meds from body occurs primarily through the _____. If someone is renally impaired,
monitor BUN, Creatinine, and GFR. Give them lower dose of drug since they can't get rid of it as fast.
buccal/sublingual-
CORRECT ANSWER
type of drug absorption. enters bloodstream and bypasses liver.
therapeutic index-
CORRECT ANSWER
Ratio of a drug's toxic level to the level that provides therapeutic benefits.
High TI: safe at one dosage for everyone
Low TI: whole array of dosage levels. If changed slightly, big effects. Specific to patient
trough lab-
CORRECT ANSWER
, 4|Page
to figure out therapeutic index, do _______. Check blood level of drug at trough. Right before you give med.
insulin pumps-
CORRECT ANSWER
usually for type 1 diabetics. Helps regulate a hard to manage blood glucose. Used for "brittle" diabetics.
Uses only short or rapid acting insulin. Requires frequent blood sugars.
sliding scale-
CORRECT ANSWER
use aspart and lispro (rapid acting insulins) for this
metformin-
CORRECT ANSWER
suppresses gluconeogenesis (liver releasing glucose into blood). Increases muscles' glucose uptake and use.
Contraindications: shock, hypoxia, renal failure. If used with constrast/dye, can cause renal failure. Can cause
lactic acidosis
lactic acidosis-
CORRECT ANSWER
a possible side effect of metformin. Buildup of lactate in system. Metabolic imbalance. pH is really low (acidic).
Drowsy, rapid breathing.
SGLT-2-
CORRECT ANSWER
canagliflozin and dapaglifozin
works by increased secretion of glucose through the urine. Side effects: UTI's and yeast infections. Promotes
weight loss; less sugar absorbed.
