NUR210 / NUR 210 EXAM 2 (Latest 2025/ 2026 Update) Principles of
Pharmacology Review| Questions & Answers| Grade A| 100% Correct
(Verified Solutions)- Galen
Question 1
A drug is described as being "highly selective." How does the nurse interpret this characteristic?
A) The drug binds to many different receptor sites, causing multiple effects.
B) The drug requires a very high dose to produce a therapeutic effect.
C) The drug binds to a primary and predictable receptor site, creating a specific desired effect.
D) The drug has a high potential for causing unpredictable side effects.
E) The drug can only be administered by one specific route.
Correct Answer: C) The drug binds to a primary and predictable receptor site, creating a
specific desired effect.
Rationale: Drug selectivity refers to a drug's ability to affect a specific target receptor
without affecting other receptors. A highly selective drug is desirable because it produces a
focused, predictable therapeutic effect with fewer side effects. A non-selective drug binds to
multiple receptor types, leading to a wider range of effects, including more potential side
effects.
Question 2
A client who is taking a sedative-hypnotic for insomnia reports being frequently awakened
during the night. The nurse understands that when sleep is interrupted, the sleep cycle:
A) Resumes at the stage where it was interrupted.
B) Immediately enters REM sleep.
C) Restarts at Stage 1 of NREM sleep.
D) Skips directly to Stage 3 of NREM sleep.
E) Is completed for that night.
Correct Answer: C) Restarts at Stage 1 of NREM sleep.
Rationale: The sleep cycle progresses through several stages of NREM sleep before entering
REM sleep. If this cycle is interrupted at any point, it does not resume where it left off.
Instead, the individual must restart the entire cycle, beginning again at Stage 1, the interim
stage between consciousness and sleep.
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Question 3
A client is prescribed lorazepam, a benzodiazepine, for anxiety. The nurse should explain that
this medication works by which mechanism of action?
A) It increases the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.
B) It blocks the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.
C) It antagonizes dopamine receptors in the brain.
D) It selectively inhibits the COX-2 enzyme.
E) It stimulates the central nervous system.
Correct Answer: A) It increases the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.
Rationale: Benzodiazepines exert their effects by interacting with gamma-aminobutyric
acid (GABA), which is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system. By enhancing the effects of GABA, benzodiazepines reduce neuron excitability,
leading to a calming, anxiolytic, and sedative effect.
Question 4
A client is prescribed zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine, for short-term management of insomnia.
The nurse should provide which of the following instructions?
A) "You can take this medication for up to one month."
B) "Take this medication about one hour before you plan to go to sleep."
C) "Avoid taking this medication with other CNS depressants like alcohol."
D) "It is safe to drive immediately after taking this medication."
E) "Take this medication with a heavy meal to enhance its effect."
Correct Answer: C) "Avoid taking this medication with other CNS depressants like alcohol."
Rationale: Non-benzodiazepines like zolpidem cause CNS depression. Combining them with
other CNS depressants, such as alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines, can lead to additive
depressant effects, including excessive sedation and severe respiratory depression. This is a
critical safety instruction for the client.
Question 5
Which of the following is a potential adverse reaction to benzodiazepine drugs, requiring
immediate medical attention?
A) Drowsiness
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B) Dizziness
C) Memory impairment
D) Respiratory depression
E) Lethargy
Correct Answer: D) Respiratory depression
Rationale: While drowsiness, dizziness, and lethargy are common side effects, respiratory
depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening adverse reaction associated with
benzodiazepines. It is more likely to occur with high doses, intravenous administration, or
when combined with other CNS depressants. Side effects are non-life-threatening, whereas
adverse reactions are life-threatening.
Question 6
A client with a history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is experiencing
anxiety. The provider is considering prescribing a benzodiazepine. The nurse recognizes that this
prescription is a concern because a history of respiratory depression is a:
A) Side effect
B) Contraindication
C) Synergistic effect
D) Secondary effect
E) Additive effect
Correct Answer: B) Contraindication
Rationale: A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug should not be used
because it may be harmful to the person. Since benzodiazepines can cause respiratory
depression, they are contraindicated in individuals with pre-existing severe respiratory
compromise, such as severe COPD or sleep apnea.
Question 7
The use of several different types of drugs, such as a benzodiazepine, an anticholinergic, an
inhaled gas, and a muscle relaxant, to achieve the most effective anesthesia with the fewest side
effects is known as:
A) General anesthesia
B) Local anesthesia
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C) Regional anesthesia
D) Balanced anesthesia
E) Topical anesthesia
Correct Answer: D) Balanced anesthesia
Rationale: Balanced anesthesia is a common technique that involves using a combination of
different drugs to produce the desired components of anesthesia (e.g., sedation, analgesia,
muscle relaxation). This approach allows for lower doses of potent inhaled general
anesthetics, which reduces the risk of adverse effects.
Question 8
A client undergoing a colonoscopy receives midazolam (Versed) for conscious sedation. The
client's respiratory rate drops to 6 breaths per minute. The nurse should be prepared to administer
which antidote?
A) Naloxone
B) Acetylcysteine
C) Vitamin K
D) Flumazenil
E) Protamine sulfate
Correct Answer: D) Flumazenil
Rationale: Midazolam is a benzodiazepine. The specific reversal agent, or antidote, for a
benzodiazepine overdose is flumazenil. It works by competing with the benzodiazepine for
binding sites on the GABA receptor, thereby reversing the sedative and respiratory
depressant effects.
Question 9
A client who received an epidural anesthetic for a caesarian section is now complaining of a
severe headache that is worse when sitting up. The nurse recognizes this as a common side effect
of:
A) General anesthesia
B) A hypertensive crisis
C) Spinal and epidural anesthesia
Pharmacology Review| Questions & Answers| Grade A| 100% Correct
(Verified Solutions)- Galen
Question 1
A drug is described as being "highly selective." How does the nurse interpret this characteristic?
A) The drug binds to many different receptor sites, causing multiple effects.
B) The drug requires a very high dose to produce a therapeutic effect.
C) The drug binds to a primary and predictable receptor site, creating a specific desired effect.
D) The drug has a high potential for causing unpredictable side effects.
E) The drug can only be administered by one specific route.
Correct Answer: C) The drug binds to a primary and predictable receptor site, creating a
specific desired effect.
Rationale: Drug selectivity refers to a drug's ability to affect a specific target receptor
without affecting other receptors. A highly selective drug is desirable because it produces a
focused, predictable therapeutic effect with fewer side effects. A non-selective drug binds to
multiple receptor types, leading to a wider range of effects, including more potential side
effects.
Question 2
A client who is taking a sedative-hypnotic for insomnia reports being frequently awakened
during the night. The nurse understands that when sleep is interrupted, the sleep cycle:
A) Resumes at the stage where it was interrupted.
B) Immediately enters REM sleep.
C) Restarts at Stage 1 of NREM sleep.
D) Skips directly to Stage 3 of NREM sleep.
E) Is completed for that night.
Correct Answer: C) Restarts at Stage 1 of NREM sleep.
Rationale: The sleep cycle progresses through several stages of NREM sleep before entering
REM sleep. If this cycle is interrupted at any point, it does not resume where it left off.
Instead, the individual must restart the entire cycle, beginning again at Stage 1, the interim
stage between consciousness and sleep.
,[Type here]
Question 3
A client is prescribed lorazepam, a benzodiazepine, for anxiety. The nurse should explain that
this medication works by which mechanism of action?
A) It increases the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.
B) It blocks the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.
C) It antagonizes dopamine receptors in the brain.
D) It selectively inhibits the COX-2 enzyme.
E) It stimulates the central nervous system.
Correct Answer: A) It increases the action of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA.
Rationale: Benzodiazepines exert their effects by interacting with gamma-aminobutyric
acid (GABA), which is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous
system. By enhancing the effects of GABA, benzodiazepines reduce neuron excitability,
leading to a calming, anxiolytic, and sedative effect.
Question 4
A client is prescribed zolpidem, a non-benzodiazepine, for short-term management of insomnia.
The nurse should provide which of the following instructions?
A) "You can take this medication for up to one month."
B) "Take this medication about one hour before you plan to go to sleep."
C) "Avoid taking this medication with other CNS depressants like alcohol."
D) "It is safe to drive immediately after taking this medication."
E) "Take this medication with a heavy meal to enhance its effect."
Correct Answer: C) "Avoid taking this medication with other CNS depressants like alcohol."
Rationale: Non-benzodiazepines like zolpidem cause CNS depression. Combining them with
other CNS depressants, such as alcohol, opioids, or benzodiazepines, can lead to additive
depressant effects, including excessive sedation and severe respiratory depression. This is a
critical safety instruction for the client.
Question 5
Which of the following is a potential adverse reaction to benzodiazepine drugs, requiring
immediate medical attention?
A) Drowsiness
,[Type here]
B) Dizziness
C) Memory impairment
D) Respiratory depression
E) Lethargy
Correct Answer: D) Respiratory depression
Rationale: While drowsiness, dizziness, and lethargy are common side effects, respiratory
depression is a serious and potentially life-threatening adverse reaction associated with
benzodiazepines. It is more likely to occur with high doses, intravenous administration, or
when combined with other CNS depressants. Side effects are non-life-threatening, whereas
adverse reactions are life-threatening.
Question 6
A client with a history of severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is experiencing
anxiety. The provider is considering prescribing a benzodiazepine. The nurse recognizes that this
prescription is a concern because a history of respiratory depression is a:
A) Side effect
B) Contraindication
C) Synergistic effect
D) Secondary effect
E) Additive effect
Correct Answer: B) Contraindication
Rationale: A contraindication is a specific situation in which a drug should not be used
because it may be harmful to the person. Since benzodiazepines can cause respiratory
depression, they are contraindicated in individuals with pre-existing severe respiratory
compromise, such as severe COPD or sleep apnea.
Question 7
The use of several different types of drugs, such as a benzodiazepine, an anticholinergic, an
inhaled gas, and a muscle relaxant, to achieve the most effective anesthesia with the fewest side
effects is known as:
A) General anesthesia
B) Local anesthesia
, [Type here]
C) Regional anesthesia
D) Balanced anesthesia
E) Topical anesthesia
Correct Answer: D) Balanced anesthesia
Rationale: Balanced anesthesia is a common technique that involves using a combination of
different drugs to produce the desired components of anesthesia (e.g., sedation, analgesia,
muscle relaxation). This approach allows for lower doses of potent inhaled general
anesthetics, which reduces the risk of adverse effects.
Question 8
A client undergoing a colonoscopy receives midazolam (Versed) for conscious sedation. The
client's respiratory rate drops to 6 breaths per minute. The nurse should be prepared to administer
which antidote?
A) Naloxone
B) Acetylcysteine
C) Vitamin K
D) Flumazenil
E) Protamine sulfate
Correct Answer: D) Flumazenil
Rationale: Midazolam is a benzodiazepine. The specific reversal agent, or antidote, for a
benzodiazepine overdose is flumazenil. It works by competing with the benzodiazepine for
binding sites on the GABA receptor, thereby reversing the sedative and respiratory
depressant effects.
Question 9
A client who received an epidural anesthetic for a caesarian section is now complaining of a
severe headache that is worse when sitting up. The nurse recognizes this as a common side effect
of:
A) General anesthesia
B) A hypertensive crisis
C) Spinal and epidural anesthesia
