BIO290 PHARMACOLOGY 2026/2027 | JOYCE UNIVERSITY
PHARMACOLOGY BIO 290 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Which pharmacokinetic parameter describes the fraction of an
administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation unchanged?
A. Volume of distribution
B. Bioavailability
C. Clearance
D. Half-life
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Bioavailability specifically measures the rate and extent to
which the active drug enters systemic circulation, which is 100% for
intravenous administration but often lower for oral routes due to first-
pass metabolism.
2. A patient taking warfarin is prescribed a new medication that is a
potent CYP450 enzyme inducer. What effect will this have on the
warfarin?
A. Increased warfarin levels and bleeding risk
B. Decreased warfarin levels and reduced anticoagulant effect
C. No change in warfarin levels
D. Immediate toxic warfarin levels
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Enzyme inducers increase the metabolism of drugs
,metabolized by those enzymes, leading to decreased serum levels of
the substrate drug and a diminished therapeutic effect.
3. Which of the following routes of administration provides the most
rapid onset of action?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Intravenous
CORRECT ANSWER: D
Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses absorption barriers
entirely, delivering the drug directly into the bloodstream for immediate
systemic effect.
4. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal biological
response is known as a:
A. Partial agonist
B. Antagonist
C. Full agonist
D. Inverse agonist
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: A full agonist has high intrinsic efficacy and is capable of
producing the maximum possible biological response upon binding to
its receptor.
5. Which of the following best describes the term
"pharmacodynamics"?
A. The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
of drugs
B. The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the
,body
C. The study of how drugs are formulated into dosage forms
D. The study of the adverse effects of drugs on living organisms
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics refers to what the drug does to the body,
encompassing receptor binding, signal transduction, and the resulting
physiological effects.
6. A patient with severe renal impairment is prescribed a medication
that is primarily excreted unchanged by the kidneys. What nursing
action is most appropriate?
A. Administer the standard dose as prescribed
B. Hold the medication and notify the provider
C. Encourage increased fluid intake to flush the drug
D. Monitor for signs of decreased therapeutic effect
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Renal impairment decreases the clearance of renally
excreted drugs, increasing the risk of toxicity. The provider must be
notified to adjust the dose or select an alternative.
7. Which term describes the time required for the plasma
concentration of a drug to decrease by half?
A. Steady state
B. Onset of action
C. Half-life
D. Peak effect
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time it takes for the body to eliminate half of
the drug present in the systemic circulation.
, 8. A patient is prescribed a medication with a narrow therapeutic
index. Which nursing intervention is most critical?
A. Administering the medication with food
B. Monitoring serum drug levels closely
C. Assessing for allergic reactions
D. Educating the patient on lifestyle modifications
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between
therapeutic and toxic doses is very small, requiring rigorous monitoring
of serum drug concentrations.
9. Which route of administration bypasses the hepatic first-pass effect
entirely?
A. Oral
B. Rectal
C. Intravenous
D. Sublingual
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into
systemic circulation, completely avoiding hepatic first-pass metabolism,
whereas sublingual and rectal routes only partially avoid it.
10. A nurse is teaching a patient about sublingual nitroglycerin. Which
statement indicates correct understanding?
A. "I should swallow the tablet with a glass of water."
B. "I should place the tablet under my tongue and let it dissolve."
C. "I should chew the tablet for faster relief."
D. "I should take it with food to avoid stomach upset."
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Sublingual administration requires the tablet to dissolve
PHARMACOLOGY BIO 290 COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM
REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Which pharmacokinetic parameter describes the fraction of an
administered drug dose that reaches systemic circulation unchanged?
A. Volume of distribution
B. Bioavailability
C. Clearance
D. Half-life
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Bioavailability specifically measures the rate and extent to
which the active drug enters systemic circulation, which is 100% for
intravenous administration but often lower for oral routes due to first-
pass metabolism.
2. A patient taking warfarin is prescribed a new medication that is a
potent CYP450 enzyme inducer. What effect will this have on the
warfarin?
A. Increased warfarin levels and bleeding risk
B. Decreased warfarin levels and reduced anticoagulant effect
C. No change in warfarin levels
D. Immediate toxic warfarin levels
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Enzyme inducers increase the metabolism of drugs
,metabolized by those enzymes, leading to decreased serum levels of
the substrate drug and a diminished therapeutic effect.
3. Which of the following routes of administration provides the most
rapid onset of action?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intramuscular
D. Intravenous
CORRECT ANSWER: D
Rationale: Intravenous administration bypasses absorption barriers
entirely, delivering the drug directly into the bloodstream for immediate
systemic effect.
4. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximal biological
response is known as a:
A. Partial agonist
B. Antagonist
C. Full agonist
D. Inverse agonist
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: A full agonist has high intrinsic efficacy and is capable of
producing the maximum possible biological response upon binding to
its receptor.
5. Which of the following best describes the term
"pharmacodynamics"?
A. The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
of drugs
B. The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the
,body
C. The study of how drugs are formulated into dosage forms
D. The study of the adverse effects of drugs on living organisms
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics refers to what the drug does to the body,
encompassing receptor binding, signal transduction, and the resulting
physiological effects.
6. A patient with severe renal impairment is prescribed a medication
that is primarily excreted unchanged by the kidneys. What nursing
action is most appropriate?
A. Administer the standard dose as prescribed
B. Hold the medication and notify the provider
C. Encourage increased fluid intake to flush the drug
D. Monitor for signs of decreased therapeutic effect
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Renal impairment decreases the clearance of renally
excreted drugs, increasing the risk of toxicity. The provider must be
notified to adjust the dose or select an alternative.
7. Which term describes the time required for the plasma
concentration of a drug to decrease by half?
A. Steady state
B. Onset of action
C. Half-life
D. Peak effect
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time it takes for the body to eliminate half of
the drug present in the systemic circulation.
, 8. A patient is prescribed a medication with a narrow therapeutic
index. Which nursing intervention is most critical?
A. Administering the medication with food
B. Monitoring serum drug levels closely
C. Assessing for allergic reactions
D. Educating the patient on lifestyle modifications
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between
therapeutic and toxic doses is very small, requiring rigorous monitoring
of serum drug concentrations.
9. Which route of administration bypasses the hepatic first-pass effect
entirely?
A. Oral
B. Rectal
C. Intravenous
D. Sublingual
CORRECT ANSWER: C
Rationale: Intravenous administration delivers the drug directly into
systemic circulation, completely avoiding hepatic first-pass metabolism,
whereas sublingual and rectal routes only partially avoid it.
10. A nurse is teaching a patient about sublingual nitroglycerin. Which
statement indicates correct understanding?
A. "I should swallow the tablet with a glass of water."
B. "I should place the tablet under my tongue and let it dissolve."
C. "I should chew the tablet for faster relief."
D. "I should take it with food to avoid stomach upset."
CORRECT ANSWER: B
Rationale: Sublingual administration requires the tablet to dissolve
