VIRTUAL ATI PHARMACOLOGY REVIEW 2026
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE DRUG
CLASSIFICATIONS MECHANISMS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Acetaminophen (Tylenol). Answer: Uses: mild to moderate pain,
fever
SE: hepatotoxicity with higher doses
Education: patient should not exceed 4g daily, antidote is
acetylcysteine
◉ Opioid Agonists. Answer: -Morphine, Fentanyl, Dilaudid,
Oxycodone
-Uses: moderate to severe pain, sedation
-Mode of action: bind to opioid receptors in CNS
SE: slow everything down (sedation, gi upset, res. depression,
constipation)
Key Points: antidote is naloxone, monitor pain level, assess pain
before and after, administer slowly, have pt increase fluid and fiber
intake
◉ Opioid Antagonists: Naloxone. Answer: Uses: opioid overdose
(reverses analgesia)
,SE: speeds everything up (hypertension, tachycardia, agitation, gi
upset)
Key points: monitor pain and res. status (res greather than 12)
◉ Broad-spectrum antibiotics:. Answer: Effective against wide
variety of bacteria (kills good & bad bacteria)
◉ Narrow-spectrum antibiotics:. Answer: effective for certain
strains
◉ Bactericidal antibiotics. Answer: kill the bacteria
◉ Bacteriostatic antibiotics. Answer: slow the growth of the bacteria
to allow the immune system to finish the work
◉ Penicillins. Answer: -Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Piperacillin
Tazobactam
-Uses: bacterial infections
-MOA: weaken cell wall causing death of cells
-SE: gi upset, allergic reaction (dyspnea, rash, hives), renal toxicity
-Contraindications: pts with allergy to penicillins or cephalosporins
,◉ Cephalosporins: Cephalexin, Cefazolin, Ceftriaxone. Answer: -
Uses: bacterial infections
-MOA: weaken the cell wall causing death
-SE: gi upset, allergic reaction, superinfection (cdiff or yeast
infection)
-Contraindications: pts with allergy to penicillins or cephalosporins
-Education: no alcohol consumption, given with food to prevent GI
upset
◉ Carbapenems: Imipenem-Cilastatin. Answer: -Uses: broad
spectrum, bacterial infections
-SE: gi upset, rash, superinfections
-Contraindicted in pts with allergy to pencillins or cephalosporins
◉ Vancomycin. Answer: -Uses: very serious infections and antibiotic
associated C.diff
-MOA: destroys cell wall causing death
-SE: auto toxicity, renal toxicity, infusion reactions (phlebitis, Red
Man Syndrome)
-Key Points: administer through PICC line for long-term use, monitor
trough and peak levels (very narrow therapeutic range!!), monitor
creatinine levels for renal toxicity
◉ Antitumor Antibiotic: Doxorubicin. Answer: -Uses: solid tumors
, -MOA: binds to DNA and inhibits DNA/RNA synthesis causing death
of dividing cells
-SE: gi upset, cardiac toxicity, alopecia, bone marrow suppression
(causing anemia, neutropenia), red discoloration of urine, sweat &
tears
-Key Points: monitor for s/s of infection, administer antiemetics,
monitor CBC & cardiac function
◉ Antimitotic Medication: Vincristine. Answer: -Uses: variety of
tumors/cancers
-does not cause bone marrow suppression!!!
-MOA: stops cell division during mitosis
-SE: peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness), phlebitis at IV,
gi upset, alopecia
-Key Points: administer antiemetics, monitor for s/s of neuropathy,
use central line or PICC to prevent phlebitis
◉ Alkylating Agent: Cyclophosphamide. Answer: -Uses: variety of
tumors/cancers
-MOA: inhibits protein synthesis
-SE: bone marrow suppression, gi upset, alopecia, hemorrhagic
cystitis (damage to lining of bladder)
-Key Points: increase fluid intake (2-3L), monitor urine for blood,
monitor CBC and administer antiemetic
STUDY GUIDE COMPLETE DRUG
CLASSIFICATIONS MECHANISMS AND
PRACTICE QUESTIONS
◉ Acetaminophen (Tylenol). Answer: Uses: mild to moderate pain,
fever
SE: hepatotoxicity with higher doses
Education: patient should not exceed 4g daily, antidote is
acetylcysteine
◉ Opioid Agonists. Answer: -Morphine, Fentanyl, Dilaudid,
Oxycodone
-Uses: moderate to severe pain, sedation
-Mode of action: bind to opioid receptors in CNS
SE: slow everything down (sedation, gi upset, res. depression,
constipation)
Key Points: antidote is naloxone, monitor pain level, assess pain
before and after, administer slowly, have pt increase fluid and fiber
intake
◉ Opioid Antagonists: Naloxone. Answer: Uses: opioid overdose
(reverses analgesia)
,SE: speeds everything up (hypertension, tachycardia, agitation, gi
upset)
Key points: monitor pain and res. status (res greather than 12)
◉ Broad-spectrum antibiotics:. Answer: Effective against wide
variety of bacteria (kills good & bad bacteria)
◉ Narrow-spectrum antibiotics:. Answer: effective for certain
strains
◉ Bactericidal antibiotics. Answer: kill the bacteria
◉ Bacteriostatic antibiotics. Answer: slow the growth of the bacteria
to allow the immune system to finish the work
◉ Penicillins. Answer: -Penicillin, Amoxicillin, Piperacillin
Tazobactam
-Uses: bacterial infections
-MOA: weaken cell wall causing death of cells
-SE: gi upset, allergic reaction (dyspnea, rash, hives), renal toxicity
-Contraindications: pts with allergy to penicillins or cephalosporins
,◉ Cephalosporins: Cephalexin, Cefazolin, Ceftriaxone. Answer: -
Uses: bacterial infections
-MOA: weaken the cell wall causing death
-SE: gi upset, allergic reaction, superinfection (cdiff or yeast
infection)
-Contraindications: pts with allergy to penicillins or cephalosporins
-Education: no alcohol consumption, given with food to prevent GI
upset
◉ Carbapenems: Imipenem-Cilastatin. Answer: -Uses: broad
spectrum, bacterial infections
-SE: gi upset, rash, superinfections
-Contraindicted in pts with allergy to pencillins or cephalosporins
◉ Vancomycin. Answer: -Uses: very serious infections and antibiotic
associated C.diff
-MOA: destroys cell wall causing death
-SE: auto toxicity, renal toxicity, infusion reactions (phlebitis, Red
Man Syndrome)
-Key Points: administer through PICC line for long-term use, monitor
trough and peak levels (very narrow therapeutic range!!), monitor
creatinine levels for renal toxicity
◉ Antitumor Antibiotic: Doxorubicin. Answer: -Uses: solid tumors
, -MOA: binds to DNA and inhibits DNA/RNA synthesis causing death
of dividing cells
-SE: gi upset, cardiac toxicity, alopecia, bone marrow suppression
(causing anemia, neutropenia), red discoloration of urine, sweat &
tears
-Key Points: monitor for s/s of infection, administer antiemetics,
monitor CBC & cardiac function
◉ Antimitotic Medication: Vincristine. Answer: -Uses: variety of
tumors/cancers
-does not cause bone marrow suppression!!!
-MOA: stops cell division during mitosis
-SE: peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness), phlebitis at IV,
gi upset, alopecia
-Key Points: administer antiemetics, monitor for s/s of neuropathy,
use central line or PICC to prevent phlebitis
◉ Alkylating Agent: Cyclophosphamide. Answer: -Uses: variety of
tumors/cancers
-MOA: inhibits protein synthesis
-SE: bone marrow suppression, gi upset, alopecia, hemorrhagic
cystitis (damage to lining of bladder)
-Key Points: increase fluid intake (2-3L), monitor urine for blood,
monitor CBC and administer antiemetic
