6172 Exam (Pharmacology: Antibiotics)
Questions With 100% Correct Answers
2026-2027 Update.
what does a bacteriostatic drug do? - Answer inhibit growth of a pathogen w/o causing cell
death
what does a bacteriocidal drug do? - Answer kills bacteria
define post-antibiotic effect? - Answer after the administered antibiotic concentration has
fallen below the bacterial MIC, suppression of bacterial growth still continues
define superinfection - Answer a second "opportunistic" infection occurring during the course
of antimicrobial therapy often due to the loss of normal oral/gut flora b/c antibiotics.
relations between drugs and protein binding - Answer only antibiotics that are protein-free
(not bound) can have antimicrobial activity
what does it mean if the host neutrophils of a gram stain are purple? - Answer the gram stain
was incomplete.
what is the MIC - Answer the minimum inhibitory concentration: the smallest contration of
drug needed to have its bacteri-cidal or -static effect
what is the LADME process? - Answer pharmokinetics of antibiotics. Liberation- release of
drug from dosage form, Absorption- movement of drug from admin site to blood circulation,
Distribution- process drug diffuses and is transferred to body tissues, Metabolism- chemical
conversions/transformation into compounds easier to eliminate, Excretion- removal of
drug/metabolite from the body via renal, biliary or pulmonary process
effect on drug activity with increased protein binding - Answer decreased microbial action by
the drug with increased binding to protiens
3 kinetic patterns of antibiotic action - Answer 1- concentration dependent killing. maximize
concentration/dose
2- time dependent killing, minimal post-antibioitic effect (PAE). change in concentration does
not help. maximize time
3-area under the curve. the drug accumulates in tissue. It just has to be present. time-
dependent kiling and moderate to prolonged PAE
,4 antibiotics that kill based on concentration (type 1) - Answer aminoglycosides, daptomycin,
quinolones, ketolides
4 antibiotics that kill more with increased time (type 2) - Answer beta lactams- penicillin,
carbapenems, cephalosporins; some(?) vancomycin
why are inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis specific for bacteria? - Answer mammalian cells
have no cell wall and no D amino acids
difference between gram positive and negative bacteria - Answer gram POSITIVE bacteria has
a thick peptidoglycan/murein layer, teichoic acid that allows it to stain blue, high penicillin
sensitivity b/c not outer membrane, no LPS, low lipid, low streptomycin sensitivity. gram
NEGATIVE bacteria has an outer membrane with a lipopolysaccharide sugar coat- think
antisocial negativity needs a shield- high lipid content, high sensitivity to streptomycin, a thin
peptidoglycan/murein layer, negative teichoic acid and stains pink, and low PCN sensitivity
class of drugs that inhibit cell wall synthesis? name 5? - Answer beta lactams: penicillins,
cephalosporins, monolactams, carbapenems, glycopeptides
how do beta lactam antibiotics inhibit cell wall synthesis? - Answer they bind to the
transpeptidase enzyme which is responsible for peptidoglycan polymer crosslinking
4 important components of penicillin - Answer thiazolide ring, beta lactam ring, site of
cleavage by penicillinases, site of cleavage by amidases
4 types of penicillins - Answer 1- Natural penicillins G and V, 2- penicillinase-resistant, 3-
extended range, 4- antipseudomonal (carboxylated and aminoacyl)
Difference between penicillin G and V - Answer G is acid labile and must be IV; V is acid stable
and is orally available.
the natural penicillins target what type of bacteria? - Answer gram positive
purpose of extended range penicillins? - Answer increased coverage for gram negative
what is the significance of administering penicillin with procaine or benzathine (bases) - Answer
it increases the half life of the drug and keeps it stable in the system longer so it can be
absorbed more slowly
, what is the effect of penicillinase on beta lactam antibiotics? - Answer cleaves the beta lactam
ring. penicillinase cannot bind as effectively to penicillinase-resistance penicillins
what organisms are penicillinase-resistant penicillins used on and what are the names of two
available in the USA? - Answer Staphyloccoci; nafcillin and cloxacillin (PO)
name two extended range penicillins. what do they target? - Answer ampicillin and amoxicillin
(PO); targets gram negative strains: E coli, P mirabilis, H influenzae, Salmonella, Shigella,
Neisseria
name a carboxylated derivative of anti-pseudomonal penicillins. what 3 things does it target? -
Answer ticarcillin (IV) targets Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, and Proteus
difference between the early and present generations of cephalosporins - Answer initially had
good gram positive coverage but over time gained increasing gram negative coverage
name a first generation cephalosporin. what organisms does it target? when/how is it primarily
used? any problems? - Answer cefazolin. narrow spectrum. targets gram POSITIVE,
streptococci and staph.aureus. Used prophylactically before surgery IOT prevent infection.
doesn't penetrate the CNS and has a short half life.
describe second generation cephalosporins. name 4. - Answer less active against gram positive
but have broad spectrum gram NEGATIVE activity. Has some beta lactamase resistance.
cefoxitin, cefuroximine, cefaclor, locarbef
cefoxitin - Answer 2nd generation cephalosporin tx for B fragilis, mixed gram NEG
cefaclor is used to treat what - Answer H influenzae
describe third generation cephalosporins and name 4 - Answer broader spectrum that works
in the CNS in addition to lung, bone, and the urinary tract. think pseudomonas.
cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and cefoperazone, ceftaroline fosamil
cefotaxime is highly resistant to what - Answer gram negative beta lactamases
ceftriaxone targets what? why is ceftriaxone particularly useful? - Answer Neisseria
meningitidis. has a long half life of 8 hrs
Questions With 100% Correct Answers
2026-2027 Update.
what does a bacteriostatic drug do? - Answer inhibit growth of a pathogen w/o causing cell
death
what does a bacteriocidal drug do? - Answer kills bacteria
define post-antibiotic effect? - Answer after the administered antibiotic concentration has
fallen below the bacterial MIC, suppression of bacterial growth still continues
define superinfection - Answer a second "opportunistic" infection occurring during the course
of antimicrobial therapy often due to the loss of normal oral/gut flora b/c antibiotics.
relations between drugs and protein binding - Answer only antibiotics that are protein-free
(not bound) can have antimicrobial activity
what does it mean if the host neutrophils of a gram stain are purple? - Answer the gram stain
was incomplete.
what is the MIC - Answer the minimum inhibitory concentration: the smallest contration of
drug needed to have its bacteri-cidal or -static effect
what is the LADME process? - Answer pharmokinetics of antibiotics. Liberation- release of
drug from dosage form, Absorption- movement of drug from admin site to blood circulation,
Distribution- process drug diffuses and is transferred to body tissues, Metabolism- chemical
conversions/transformation into compounds easier to eliminate, Excretion- removal of
drug/metabolite from the body via renal, biliary or pulmonary process
effect on drug activity with increased protein binding - Answer decreased microbial action by
the drug with increased binding to protiens
3 kinetic patterns of antibiotic action - Answer 1- concentration dependent killing. maximize
concentration/dose
2- time dependent killing, minimal post-antibioitic effect (PAE). change in concentration does
not help. maximize time
3-area under the curve. the drug accumulates in tissue. It just has to be present. time-
dependent kiling and moderate to prolonged PAE
,4 antibiotics that kill based on concentration (type 1) - Answer aminoglycosides, daptomycin,
quinolones, ketolides
4 antibiotics that kill more with increased time (type 2) - Answer beta lactams- penicillin,
carbapenems, cephalosporins; some(?) vancomycin
why are inhibitors of cell wall biosynthesis specific for bacteria? - Answer mammalian cells
have no cell wall and no D amino acids
difference between gram positive and negative bacteria - Answer gram POSITIVE bacteria has
a thick peptidoglycan/murein layer, teichoic acid that allows it to stain blue, high penicillin
sensitivity b/c not outer membrane, no LPS, low lipid, low streptomycin sensitivity. gram
NEGATIVE bacteria has an outer membrane with a lipopolysaccharide sugar coat- think
antisocial negativity needs a shield- high lipid content, high sensitivity to streptomycin, a thin
peptidoglycan/murein layer, negative teichoic acid and stains pink, and low PCN sensitivity
class of drugs that inhibit cell wall synthesis? name 5? - Answer beta lactams: penicillins,
cephalosporins, monolactams, carbapenems, glycopeptides
how do beta lactam antibiotics inhibit cell wall synthesis? - Answer they bind to the
transpeptidase enzyme which is responsible for peptidoglycan polymer crosslinking
4 important components of penicillin - Answer thiazolide ring, beta lactam ring, site of
cleavage by penicillinases, site of cleavage by amidases
4 types of penicillins - Answer 1- Natural penicillins G and V, 2- penicillinase-resistant, 3-
extended range, 4- antipseudomonal (carboxylated and aminoacyl)
Difference between penicillin G and V - Answer G is acid labile and must be IV; V is acid stable
and is orally available.
the natural penicillins target what type of bacteria? - Answer gram positive
purpose of extended range penicillins? - Answer increased coverage for gram negative
what is the significance of administering penicillin with procaine or benzathine (bases) - Answer
it increases the half life of the drug and keeps it stable in the system longer so it can be
absorbed more slowly
, what is the effect of penicillinase on beta lactam antibiotics? - Answer cleaves the beta lactam
ring. penicillinase cannot bind as effectively to penicillinase-resistance penicillins
what organisms are penicillinase-resistant penicillins used on and what are the names of two
available in the USA? - Answer Staphyloccoci; nafcillin and cloxacillin (PO)
name two extended range penicillins. what do they target? - Answer ampicillin and amoxicillin
(PO); targets gram negative strains: E coli, P mirabilis, H influenzae, Salmonella, Shigella,
Neisseria
name a carboxylated derivative of anti-pseudomonal penicillins. what 3 things does it target? -
Answer ticarcillin (IV) targets Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, and Proteus
difference between the early and present generations of cephalosporins - Answer initially had
good gram positive coverage but over time gained increasing gram negative coverage
name a first generation cephalosporin. what organisms does it target? when/how is it primarily
used? any problems? - Answer cefazolin. narrow spectrum. targets gram POSITIVE,
streptococci and staph.aureus. Used prophylactically before surgery IOT prevent infection.
doesn't penetrate the CNS and has a short half life.
describe second generation cephalosporins. name 4. - Answer less active against gram positive
but have broad spectrum gram NEGATIVE activity. Has some beta lactamase resistance.
cefoxitin, cefuroximine, cefaclor, locarbef
cefoxitin - Answer 2nd generation cephalosporin tx for B fragilis, mixed gram NEG
cefaclor is used to treat what - Answer H influenzae
describe third generation cephalosporins and name 4 - Answer broader spectrum that works
in the CNS in addition to lung, bone, and the urinary tract. think pseudomonas.
cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, ceftazidime and cefoperazone, ceftaroline fosamil
cefotaxime is highly resistant to what - Answer gram negative beta lactamases
ceftriaxone targets what? why is ceftriaxone particularly useful? - Answer Neisseria
meningitidis. has a long half life of 8 hrs
