Pharm I (NURS 117-101) Principles of Drug Action (Exam 1)
Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is pharmacokinetics?
Answer: the study of drug movement throughout the body
Question 2: What is the greatest barrier for drugs to get to target cells?
Answer: crossing membranes
Question 3: List the four categories of pharmacokinetic processes and briefly describe them
Answer: 1. absorption: absorb into circulation 2. distribution: circulations distributes 3. metabolism: by the
liver 4. excretion: by the kidneys
Question 4: What is absorption?
Answer: movement from site of administration to across body membranes to circulating fluids
Question 5: _____ is the primary pharmacokinetic factor in determining length of time for drug to
produce effect.
Answer: absorption
Question 6: What is bioavailability?
Answer: percentage of drug that reaches circulation
Question 7: Acidic drugs are absorbed where? Why?
Answer: in stomach because it is acidic also
Question 8: Alkaline drugs are absorbed where? Why?
Answer: in small intestine because it is alkaline also
Question 9: If a medication is given orally, what is the bioavailability of the drug?
Answer: never 100%
Question 10: If a medication is given IV, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: 100%, because it goes right into circulation
Page 1
, Question 11: If a medication is given IM, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: nearly 100%
Question 12: If a medication is given subcu, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: 90%-95%
Question 13: What factors affects drug absorption?
Answer: dose, route of administration, size of drug molecule, surface of the absorptive site, digestive
motility, blood flow, lipid solubility of the drug, pH of local environment, drug-drug/drug-food interactions,
food
Question 14: What is distribution?
Answer: transport of drugs throughout the body
Question 15: What is the simplest factor determining distribution?
Answer: the amount of blood flow to body tissue
Question 16: What is tissue affinity?
Answer: how receptive a tissue is going to be to receive drug
Question 17: What is protein binding?
Answer: protein molecules tend to attach to drug molecules and if this happens then drugs can't be absorbed,
% of drugs that bind to proteins
Question 18: What is the blood-brain barrier and fetal-placenta barrier?
Answer: protects brain tissue and keeps out most drugs to protect brain
Question 19: A patient with brain tumors/brain cancer is treated with radiation and/or surgery because
why?
Answer: chemotherapy molecules are too big to cross the blood-brain barrier
Question 20: What is metabolism?
Answer: also known as biotransformation, takes place in the liver, chemically converts drug so it can be
easily removed from body
Page 2
Questions with Correct Answers (Grade A+)
Question 1: What is pharmacokinetics?
Answer: the study of drug movement throughout the body
Question 2: What is the greatest barrier for drugs to get to target cells?
Answer: crossing membranes
Question 3: List the four categories of pharmacokinetic processes and briefly describe them
Answer: 1. absorption: absorb into circulation 2. distribution: circulations distributes 3. metabolism: by the
liver 4. excretion: by the kidneys
Question 4: What is absorption?
Answer: movement from site of administration to across body membranes to circulating fluids
Question 5: _____ is the primary pharmacokinetic factor in determining length of time for drug to
produce effect.
Answer: absorption
Question 6: What is bioavailability?
Answer: percentage of drug that reaches circulation
Question 7: Acidic drugs are absorbed where? Why?
Answer: in stomach because it is acidic also
Question 8: Alkaline drugs are absorbed where? Why?
Answer: in small intestine because it is alkaline also
Question 9: If a medication is given orally, what is the bioavailability of the drug?
Answer: never 100%
Question 10: If a medication is given IV, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: 100%, because it goes right into circulation
Page 1
, Question 11: If a medication is given IM, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: nearly 100%
Question 12: If a medication is given subcu, what is the bioavailability of the drug? Why?
Answer: 90%-95%
Question 13: What factors affects drug absorption?
Answer: dose, route of administration, size of drug molecule, surface of the absorptive site, digestive
motility, blood flow, lipid solubility of the drug, pH of local environment, drug-drug/drug-food interactions,
food
Question 14: What is distribution?
Answer: transport of drugs throughout the body
Question 15: What is the simplest factor determining distribution?
Answer: the amount of blood flow to body tissue
Question 16: What is tissue affinity?
Answer: how receptive a tissue is going to be to receive drug
Question 17: What is protein binding?
Answer: protein molecules tend to attach to drug molecules and if this happens then drugs can't be absorbed,
% of drugs that bind to proteins
Question 18: What is the blood-brain barrier and fetal-placenta barrier?
Answer: protects brain tissue and keeps out most drugs to protect brain
Question 19: A patient with brain tumors/brain cancer is treated with radiation and/or surgery because
why?
Answer: chemotherapy molecules are too big to cross the blood-brain barrier
Question 20: What is metabolism?
Answer: also known as biotransformation, takes place in the liver, chemically converts drug so it can be
easily removed from body
Page 2
