PHARMACOLOGY NURS 251 MODULE 1-
10 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its site of
administration into the bloodstream?
A. Distribution
B. Metabolism
C. Excretion
D. Absorption
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Absorption is the process of moving a drug from the site of
administration into the circulatory system.
2. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response similar to the
endogenous ligand is known as a(n):
A. Antagonist
B. Inverse Agonist
,C. Agonist
D. Competitive Inhibitor
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist mimics the action of endogenous substances at
receptor sites.
3. The ‘first-pass effect’ primarily occurs in which organ after oral administration?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Small Intestine
D. Liver
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The liver metabolizes drugs absorbed from the GI tract before
they reach systemic circulation, known as the first-pass effect.
4. What is the term for the time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to
decrease by 50%?
A. Steady state
B. Duration of action
C. Therapeutic index
, D. Half-life
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Half-life is the time it takes for the serum concentration of a
drug to be reduced by half.
5. A patient with a low serum albumin level is at risk for drug toxicity when taking drugs that
are highly:
A. Water-soluble
B. Protein-bound
C. Lipid-soluble
D. Ionized
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Low albumin leads to more ‘free’ (active) drug in the blood for
drugs that normally bind to protein, increasing toxicity risk.
6. Which neurotransmitter is the primary mediator of the parasympathetic nervous system?
A. Norepinephrine
B. Epinephrine
C. Acetylcholine
D. Dopamine
10 COMPREHENSIVE EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its site of
administration into the bloodstream?
A. Distribution
B. Metabolism
C. Excretion
D. Absorption
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Absorption is the process of moving a drug from the site of
administration into the circulatory system.
2. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response similar to the
endogenous ligand is known as a(n):
A. Antagonist
B. Inverse Agonist
,C. Agonist
D. Competitive Inhibitor
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist mimics the action of endogenous substances at
receptor sites.
3. The ‘first-pass effect’ primarily occurs in which organ after oral administration?
A. Kidneys
B. Lungs
C. Small Intestine
D. Liver
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The liver metabolizes drugs absorbed from the GI tract before
they reach systemic circulation, known as the first-pass effect.
4. What is the term for the time required for the concentration of a drug in the body to
decrease by 50%?
A. Steady state
B. Duration of action
C. Therapeutic index
, D. Half-life
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Half-life is the time it takes for the serum concentration of a
drug to be reduced by half.
5. A patient with a low serum albumin level is at risk for drug toxicity when taking drugs that
are highly:
A. Water-soluble
B. Protein-bound
C. Lipid-soluble
D. Ionized
Answer: B
Conceptual Explanation: Low albumin leads to more ‘free’ (active) drug in the blood for
drugs that normally bind to protein, increasing toxicity risk.
6. Which neurotransmitter is the primary mediator of the parasympathetic nervous system?
A. Norepinephrine
B. Epinephrine
C. Acetylcholine
D. Dopamine
