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NUR 2474 PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
TIPS 2026-27 JUST RELEASED VERSION
BLUEPRINT(2 SETS)
Half-life- time required for the concentration or amount of drug in the
body to be reduced by one-half
handwritten orders- A prescription for medications/ referrals
Application of Pharmacology in Patient care= (1) pre-administration
assessment, (2) dosage and administration, (3) evaluating and
promoting therapeutic effects, (4) minimizing adverse effects, (5)
minimizing adverse interactions, (6) making PRN decisions
Receptor binding Binding of a ligand to a receptor changes its shape or
activity, allowing it to transmit a signal or directly produce a change inside
of the cell. Stages of signal transduction: ligand-receptor binding, signal
relay, response.
Pharmacokinetics -Absorption-distribution-metabolism-Excretion-- how
a body processes a drug
Pharmacodynamics- what a drug does to the body)
Adverse effect/side effect and expected and unexpected.
Teratogenic effect- are drugs, chemicals, or even infections that can cause
abnormal fetal development
Paradoxical effect-not the intended effect (lavender to calm but it
makes em crazy)
Cholinergic vs Anticholinergic side effects
• Anticholinergic
o Can’t see, can’t pee, can’t spit, can’t shit
• Cholinergic
o S-alivation
o L-acrimation (tears)
o U-rination
o D-
efication Dosage
Calculations
,2
Medication Rights
,3
• Right dose, person, time, med, route
Nursing Process: Assessment, diagnosis, planning,
implementation, and evaluation. (ADPIE)
Terminology: EPS, Tardive dyskinesia, Akathisia, dystonia,
parkinsonism
• Extrapyramidal symptoms. Weird mouth
movements. Fidgeting. Involuntary muscle
contraction.
• Parkinsonism is any condition that causes a combination of the
movement abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease — such as
tremor, slow movement, impaired speech, or muscle toughness
— especially resulting from the loss of dopamine-containing nerve
cells. AKA EPS
Carvidopa/levodopa (Sinemet)- *Parkinson Med*
- Know action (what does it do), Nurse recommendation for patients
who develop SE/AE of medication, Anticipated SE/AE of this
medication, Pt education
• BASICALLY- levodopa turns into dopamine, increasing
dopamine in the brain and balancing dopamine and
acetylcholine. Carbidopa helps the body absorb
levodopa which makes it more available to the CNS.
C/L=Dopamine agonist
AE/Recommendations
• N/V-can be reduced by administering with meals
• Dyskinesias-can be managed in 3 ways- lower med dose,
give amantadine, or surgery/electrical stimulation
• Hypotension-can be reduced by increasing salt and water intake
• Psychosis-can be reduced by lowering dose, anti-psych meds
(have their own SE)
• Expected SE: Anticholinergic effects, GI upset, fall risk, hallucinations
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
-What is this? How does this occur? Interventions?
• NMS happened when someone takes 2 types of neuroleptic
, 4
drugs at one time. Hold med if toxicity is suspected.
• F-E-V-E-R
NUR 2474 PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1 STUDY GUIDE
TIPS 2026-27 JUST RELEASED VERSION
BLUEPRINT(2 SETS)
Half-life- time required for the concentration or amount of drug in the
body to be reduced by one-half
handwritten orders- A prescription for medications/ referrals
Application of Pharmacology in Patient care= (1) pre-administration
assessment, (2) dosage and administration, (3) evaluating and
promoting therapeutic effects, (4) minimizing adverse effects, (5)
minimizing adverse interactions, (6) making PRN decisions
Receptor binding Binding of a ligand to a receptor changes its shape or
activity, allowing it to transmit a signal or directly produce a change inside
of the cell. Stages of signal transduction: ligand-receptor binding, signal
relay, response.
Pharmacokinetics -Absorption-distribution-metabolism-Excretion-- how
a body processes a drug
Pharmacodynamics- what a drug does to the body)
Adverse effect/side effect and expected and unexpected.
Teratogenic effect- are drugs, chemicals, or even infections that can cause
abnormal fetal development
Paradoxical effect-not the intended effect (lavender to calm but it
makes em crazy)
Cholinergic vs Anticholinergic side effects
• Anticholinergic
o Can’t see, can’t pee, can’t spit, can’t shit
• Cholinergic
o S-alivation
o L-acrimation (tears)
o U-rination
o D-
efication Dosage
Calculations
,2
Medication Rights
,3
• Right dose, person, time, med, route
Nursing Process: Assessment, diagnosis, planning,
implementation, and evaluation. (ADPIE)
Terminology: EPS, Tardive dyskinesia, Akathisia, dystonia,
parkinsonism
• Extrapyramidal symptoms. Weird mouth
movements. Fidgeting. Involuntary muscle
contraction.
• Parkinsonism is any condition that causes a combination of the
movement abnormalities seen in Parkinson's disease — such as
tremor, slow movement, impaired speech, or muscle toughness
— especially resulting from the loss of dopamine-containing nerve
cells. AKA EPS
Carvidopa/levodopa (Sinemet)- *Parkinson Med*
- Know action (what does it do), Nurse recommendation for patients
who develop SE/AE of medication, Anticipated SE/AE of this
medication, Pt education
• BASICALLY- levodopa turns into dopamine, increasing
dopamine in the brain and balancing dopamine and
acetylcholine. Carbidopa helps the body absorb
levodopa which makes it more available to the CNS.
C/L=Dopamine agonist
AE/Recommendations
• N/V-can be reduced by administering with meals
• Dyskinesias-can be managed in 3 ways- lower med dose,
give amantadine, or surgery/electrical stimulation
• Hypotension-can be reduced by increasing salt and water intake
• Psychosis-can be reduced by lowering dose, anti-psych meds
(have their own SE)
• Expected SE: Anticholinergic effects, GI upset, fall risk, hallucinations
Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
-What is this? How does this occur? Interventions?
• NMS happened when someone takes 2 types of neuroleptic
, 4
drugs at one time. Hold med if toxicity is suspected.
• F-E-V-E-R
