Pharm Exam 1 study guide 2026
LATEST UPDATE
Peak: is the highest plasma concentration of drug at a specific time, and it shows the rate of
absorption.
• This is drawn about 30 minutes after you give the med
o Level should double
Trough: is the lowest plasma concentration of a drug, and it measures the rate the drug is
eliminating
• This is drawn before you give the med
Pharmacodynamics: is the study of the effects of drugs on the body
• Primary effect and secondary effect
o Primary : desirable effect
o Secondary: desirable and undesirable
Protein binding: as a drug is distributed in the plasma, many bind with plasma proteins( albumin,
lipoproteins)
Highly protein bound drugs: drugs that are more than 90% bound to protein
• Ex: warfarin, furosemide, diazapam
Weakly protein binding drugs: drugs that are less than 10% bound to protein
• Ex: gentamicin, metformin, metoprolol
o This portion of the drug bound to protein is inactive because it is not available to
interact with tissue receptors.
▪ Ex: alcoholics, malnutrition pts
Pharmacokinetics: is the process of drug movement throughout the body necessary to achieve
drug action
, • Absorption: the movement of the drug into the blood stream after administration
o Goes into the cellular structure to do its job
▪ From the GI tract into blood stream
• Distribution: is the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues
• Metabolism or biotransformation: is the process by which the body chemically changes
dregs into a form that can be excreted
o The liver is the primary site for metabolism
o Disintegration: the break down of oral drugs form into small particles
o Dissolution: process of combining small drug particles with liquid to form a
solution
Why do drugs work differently in older adults
• Their bodies slow down on the absorption, metabolic and excretion parts
• Common risk: overdosing or underdosing
• Causes of toxic effects: polypharmacy, giving to many doses and they are not
metabolizing and excreting the med bc of their ability to have good protein to bind to the
meds, and kidney and liver function
• S/S for older adults: dizziness, seizures, confusion, lethargic, drop in blood pressure,
sedation
Physiologic changes in older adults
• Reduction in total body water and lean body mass
• Reduction in kidney mass and function
• Reduction in liver mass and blood flow
• Postural hypotension with ANTIhypertensives
, • GI irritation with NSAIDs
Proper written prescription( ones with # are the ones he said , other are the ones from book)
• Drug name#
• Drug frequency
• Route#
• Duration#
• Refills
• Amount of meds given
• Signature #
• Pt name #
• Reason#
Administration routes
• Instillation- eyes, ears
• Aerosol-rose
• Oral: inhaler, PO, sublingual, buccal
• Transdermal patch
• Injection: subQ, IM
• IV
• Topical
• Suppository: vaginal, anal
How to properly administer meds
• Oral
o Make sure put can swallow before giving
LATEST UPDATE
Peak: is the highest plasma concentration of drug at a specific time, and it shows the rate of
absorption.
• This is drawn about 30 minutes after you give the med
o Level should double
Trough: is the lowest plasma concentration of a drug, and it measures the rate the drug is
eliminating
• This is drawn before you give the med
Pharmacodynamics: is the study of the effects of drugs on the body
• Primary effect and secondary effect
o Primary : desirable effect
o Secondary: desirable and undesirable
Protein binding: as a drug is distributed in the plasma, many bind with plasma proteins( albumin,
lipoproteins)
Highly protein bound drugs: drugs that are more than 90% bound to protein
• Ex: warfarin, furosemide, diazapam
Weakly protein binding drugs: drugs that are less than 10% bound to protein
• Ex: gentamicin, metformin, metoprolol
o This portion of the drug bound to protein is inactive because it is not available to
interact with tissue receptors.
▪ Ex: alcoholics, malnutrition pts
Pharmacokinetics: is the process of drug movement throughout the body necessary to achieve
drug action
, • Absorption: the movement of the drug into the blood stream after administration
o Goes into the cellular structure to do its job
▪ From the GI tract into blood stream
• Distribution: is the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues
• Metabolism or biotransformation: is the process by which the body chemically changes
dregs into a form that can be excreted
o The liver is the primary site for metabolism
o Disintegration: the break down of oral drugs form into small particles
o Dissolution: process of combining small drug particles with liquid to form a
solution
Why do drugs work differently in older adults
• Their bodies slow down on the absorption, metabolic and excretion parts
• Common risk: overdosing or underdosing
• Causes of toxic effects: polypharmacy, giving to many doses and they are not
metabolizing and excreting the med bc of their ability to have good protein to bind to the
meds, and kidney and liver function
• S/S for older adults: dizziness, seizures, confusion, lethargic, drop in blood pressure,
sedation
Physiologic changes in older adults
• Reduction in total body water and lean body mass
• Reduction in kidney mass and function
• Reduction in liver mass and blood flow
• Postural hypotension with ANTIhypertensives
, • GI irritation with NSAIDs
Proper written prescription( ones with # are the ones he said , other are the ones from book)
• Drug name#
• Drug frequency
• Route#
• Duration#
• Refills
• Amount of meds given
• Signature #
• Pt name #
• Reason#
Administration routes
• Instillation- eyes, ears
• Aerosol-rose
• Oral: inhaler, PO, sublingual, buccal
• Transdermal patch
• Injection: subQ, IM
• IV
• Topical
• Suppository: vaginal, anal
How to properly administer meds
• Oral
o Make sure put can swallow before giving
