NURS 5334 Advanced Pharmacology – Final Exam 200 Practice Questions with
Answers & Rationales University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Exam Overview
Feature Details
Course NURS 5334 – Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners
Institution University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Exam
200 multiple-choice questions
Format
Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Autonomic & CNS Drugs, Cardiovascular/Renal
Key Topics Agents, Endocrine Pharmacology, Anti-infectives, Clinical Prescribing, Lifespan
Considerations
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS (Questions 1-40)
1. Define pharmacokinetics.
A) The impact of drugs on the body
B) The impact of the body on drugs – how much of an administered dose reaches its
sites of action
C) The study of drug toxicity
, D) The study of drug interactions
Answer: B. Pharmacokinetics encompasses Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and
Excretion (ADME). It answers "What does the body do to the drug?"
2. What are the four major pharmacokinetic processes?
A) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
B) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
D) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination
Answer: C. These four processes—Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion
(ADME)—determine drug concentration at action sites over time.
3. Define pharmacodynamics.
A) What the body does to the drug
B) The movement of drug across cell membranes
C) The impact of drugs on the body – the nature and intensity of the response
D) The study of drug excretion
Answer: C. Pharmacodynamics includes receptor binding, post-receptor effects, and
clinical response. It answers "What does the drug do to the body?"
4. A nurse practitioner is teaching a patient about a newly prescribed medication.
Which statement correctly distinguishes between pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics?
A) Pharmacokinetics is what the drug does to the body; pharmacodynamics is what
the body does to the drug.
, B) Pharmacokinetics is the movement of drug across the cell membrane;
pharmacodynamics is the study of drug excretion.
C) Pharmacokinetics is what the body does to the drug; pharmacodynamics is what
the drug does to the body.
D) Pharmacokinetics only involves drug absorption; pharmacodynamics only
involves drug metabolism.
Answer: C. Pharmacokinetics refers to ADME—what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics refers to the biochemical and physiologic effects of the drug—what the
drug does to the body.
5. A drug reaches steady-state concentration in approximately how many half-lives?
A) Two half-lives
B) Three half-lives
C) Four half-lives
D) Five half-lives
Answer: D. Steady state is achieved when the rate of drug administration equals the rate of
elimination. Approximately 94% of steady state is reached after four half-lives, and over
97% after five half-lives.
6. A patient is prescribed a drug with a half-life of 8 hours. How long will it take to
reach steady-state concentration with regular dosing?
A) 24 hours
B) 32 hours
C) 40 hours
, D) 48 hours
Answer: C. Five half-lives × 8 hours = 40 hours.
7. Which of the four major pharmacokinetic processes is the primary determinant of
how quickly a drug reaches its site of action?
A) Distribution
B) Metabolism
C) Excretion
D) Absorption
Answer: D. Absorption is the movement of a drug from its site of administration into
systemic circulation; the rate of absorption directly influences how quickly the drug reaches
its target site.
8. A drug with a high therapeutic index is considered:
A) More likely to cause toxicity
B) Safer than a drug with a low therapeutic index
C) Less effective than a drug with a low therapeutic index
D) More likely to cause allergic reactions
Answer: B. A high therapeutic index indicates a wide margin of safety between the effective
dose and the toxic dose.
9. The cytochrome P450 system is primarily responsible for:
A) Drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract
B) Drug metabolism, particularly Phase I reactions
Answers & Rationales University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Exam Overview
Feature Details
Course NURS 5334 – Advanced Pharmacology for Nurse Practitioners
Institution University of Texas at Arlington (UTA)
Exam
200 multiple-choice questions
Format
Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, Autonomic & CNS Drugs, Cardiovascular/Renal
Key Topics Agents, Endocrine Pharmacology, Anti-infectives, Clinical Prescribing, Lifespan
Considerations
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS (Questions 1-40)
1. Define pharmacokinetics.
A) The impact of drugs on the body
B) The impact of the body on drugs – how much of an administered dose reaches its
sites of action
C) The study of drug toxicity
, D) The study of drug interactions
Answer: B. Pharmacokinetics encompasses Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and
Excretion (ADME). It answers "What does the body do to the drug?"
2. What are the four major pharmacokinetic processes?
A) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
B) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
D) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Elimination
Answer: C. These four processes—Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion
(ADME)—determine drug concentration at action sites over time.
3. Define pharmacodynamics.
A) What the body does to the drug
B) The movement of drug across cell membranes
C) The impact of drugs on the body – the nature and intensity of the response
D) The study of drug excretion
Answer: C. Pharmacodynamics includes receptor binding, post-receptor effects, and
clinical response. It answers "What does the drug do to the body?"
4. A nurse practitioner is teaching a patient about a newly prescribed medication.
Which statement correctly distinguishes between pharmacokinetics and
pharmacodynamics?
A) Pharmacokinetics is what the drug does to the body; pharmacodynamics is what
the body does to the drug.
, B) Pharmacokinetics is the movement of drug across the cell membrane;
pharmacodynamics is the study of drug excretion.
C) Pharmacokinetics is what the body does to the drug; pharmacodynamics is what
the drug does to the body.
D) Pharmacokinetics only involves drug absorption; pharmacodynamics only
involves drug metabolism.
Answer: C. Pharmacokinetics refers to ADME—what the body does to the drug.
Pharmacodynamics refers to the biochemical and physiologic effects of the drug—what the
drug does to the body.
5. A drug reaches steady-state concentration in approximately how many half-lives?
A) Two half-lives
B) Three half-lives
C) Four half-lives
D) Five half-lives
Answer: D. Steady state is achieved when the rate of drug administration equals the rate of
elimination. Approximately 94% of steady state is reached after four half-lives, and over
97% after five half-lives.
6. A patient is prescribed a drug with a half-life of 8 hours. How long will it take to
reach steady-state concentration with regular dosing?
A) 24 hours
B) 32 hours
C) 40 hours
, D) 48 hours
Answer: C. Five half-lives × 8 hours = 40 hours.
7. Which of the four major pharmacokinetic processes is the primary determinant of
how quickly a drug reaches its site of action?
A) Distribution
B) Metabolism
C) Excretion
D) Absorption
Answer: D. Absorption is the movement of a drug from its site of administration into
systemic circulation; the rate of absorption directly influences how quickly the drug reaches
its target site.
8. A drug with a high therapeutic index is considered:
A) More likely to cause toxicity
B) Safer than a drug with a low therapeutic index
C) Less effective than a drug with a low therapeutic index
D) More likely to cause allergic reactions
Answer: B. A high therapeutic index indicates a wide margin of safety between the effective
dose and the toxic dose.
9. The cytochrome P450 system is primarily responsible for:
A) Drug absorption from the gastrointestinal tract
B) Drug metabolism, particularly Phase I reactions
