,Chapter 01: Introduction to Respiratory Care Pharmacology
Gardenhire: Rau’s Respiratory Care Pharmacology, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The listing of a drug and the amount of drug are found in which part of a prescription?
a. Superscription
b. Inscription
c. Subscription
d. Transcription (signature)
ANS: B
The superscription directs the pharmacist to take the drug listed and prepare the medication;
the inscription lists the name and quantity of the drug being prescribed; the subscription
provides directions to the pharmacist for preparing the medication; and the transcription, or
signature, is the information the pharmacist writes on the label as instructions to the patient.
REF: p. 7
2. If generic substitution is permitted on a prescription:
a. drug from only one manufacturer must be given.
b. drug formulation may be changed by the pharmacist.
c. any manufactured brand of the drug listed may be given.
d. drug strength may be changed by the pharmacist.
ANS: C
A generic substitution allows any brand of a drug to be given, but the pharmacist may not
change a drug formulation without specific permission from the prescribing physician. A
physician can indicate to the pharmacist that generic substitution is permitted in the filling of
the prescription. In such a case, the pharmacist may provide any manufacturer’s version of the
prescribed drug, rather than a specific brand. However, the pharmacist may not change the
strength of a drug without specific permission from the prescribing physician.
REF: p. 8
3. The study of drugs, including their origin, properties, and interactions with living organisms,
is known as
a. pharmacogenetics.
b. pharmacology.
c. therapeutics.
d. toxicology.
ANS: B
Pharmacogenetics is the study of the interrelationship of genetic differences and drug effects.
Pharmacology is the study of drugs (chemicals), including their origin, properties, and
interactions with living organisms. Therapeutics is the art of treating disease with drugs.
Toxicology is the study of toxic substances and their pharmacologic actions, including
antidotes and poison control.
REF: p. 3
,4. The brand name given to a drug by a particular manufacturer is known as the drug’s
a. chemical name.
b. generic name.
c. official name.
d. trade name.
ANS: D
The chemical name indicates the drug’s chemical structure. The generic name is assigned by
the United States Adopted Name Council and is usually based loosely on the drug’s chemical
structure. The official name is the name given to the generic name once a drug becomes fully
approved for general use and is admitted to the United States Pharmacopeia–National
Formulary. The trade name is the brand, or proprietary, name given by a particular
manufacturer. For example, the generic drug albuterol is currently marketed by Schering-
Plough as Proventil® and by GlaxoSmithKline as Ventolin®.
REF: p. 5
5. To find official information about drugs (according to the FDA), you need to go to the
a. Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR).
b. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology.
c. United States Pharmacopeia–National Formulary (USP-NF).
d. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics.
ANS: C
Because the PDR is prepared by drug manufacturers themselves, it may be lacking in
objectivity. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology covers only general pharmacologic principles and
drug classes. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics covers only
general pharmacologic principles and drug classes. The USP-NF is a book of standards
containing information about medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers this book the official standard for drugs
marketed in the United States.
REF: p. 5
6. Drugs may be obtained from which of the following sources?
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Minerals
d. Plants, animals, and minerals
ANS: D
Drugs may be obtained from plants (e.g., digitalis), animals (e.g., insulin), and minerals (e.g.,
magnesium sulfate).
REF: p. 5
7. The branch of the U.S. government responsible for the process of approving drugs for clinical
use is the
a. USAN Council.
b. FDA.
, c. USP-NF.
d. PDR.
ANS: B
The United States Adopted Name (USAN) Council is responsible for assigning a generic
name to a chemical that appears to have therapeutic use. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is responsible for the process of approving drugs for clinical use. The
process by which a chemical moves from the status of a promising potential drug to one fully
approved by the FDA for general clinical use is, on average, long, costly, and complex. Cost
estimates vary, but in the 1980s it took an average of 13 to 15 years from chemical synthesis
to marketing approval by the FDA, with a cost of $350 million in the United States. The USP-
NF is a book of standards for medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. The
PDR is a source of drug information prepared by drug manufacturers.
REF: p. 4
8. An orphan drug is a drug that is
a. used for rare disease.
b. used for common disease.
c. inexpensive to produce.
d. not claimed by a drug manufacturer.
ANS: A
An orphan drug is a drug or biologic product for the diagnosis or treatment of a rare disease.
Rare is defined as a disease that affects less than 200,000 persons in the United States.
Alternatively, a drug may be designated as an orphan if used for a disease that affects more
than 200,000 persons in the United States but for which there is no reasonable expectation of
recovering the cost of drug development. Orphan drugs are often quite expensive to produce
because they have a limited market in which to recoup the initial investment.
REF: p. 6 | p. 7
9. Which of the following health care practitioners are authorized to write a prescription in the
United States?
1. Physicians
2. Chiropractors
3. Dentists
4. Osteopaths
5. Veterinarians
a. 1 only
b. 1, 2, and 3 only
c. 1, 3, 4, and 5 only
d. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
ANS: C
A prescription may be written by a physician, osteopath, dentist, and veterinarian and some
other practitioners but not by chiropractors.
REF: p. 7
Gardenhire: Rau’s Respiratory Care Pharmacology, 9th Edition
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The listing of a drug and the amount of drug are found in which part of a prescription?
a. Superscription
b. Inscription
c. Subscription
d. Transcription (signature)
ANS: B
The superscription directs the pharmacist to take the drug listed and prepare the medication;
the inscription lists the name and quantity of the drug being prescribed; the subscription
provides directions to the pharmacist for preparing the medication; and the transcription, or
signature, is the information the pharmacist writes on the label as instructions to the patient.
REF: p. 7
2. If generic substitution is permitted on a prescription:
a. drug from only one manufacturer must be given.
b. drug formulation may be changed by the pharmacist.
c. any manufactured brand of the drug listed may be given.
d. drug strength may be changed by the pharmacist.
ANS: C
A generic substitution allows any brand of a drug to be given, but the pharmacist may not
change a drug formulation without specific permission from the prescribing physician. A
physician can indicate to the pharmacist that generic substitution is permitted in the filling of
the prescription. In such a case, the pharmacist may provide any manufacturer’s version of the
prescribed drug, rather than a specific brand. However, the pharmacist may not change the
strength of a drug without specific permission from the prescribing physician.
REF: p. 8
3. The study of drugs, including their origin, properties, and interactions with living organisms,
is known as
a. pharmacogenetics.
b. pharmacology.
c. therapeutics.
d. toxicology.
ANS: B
Pharmacogenetics is the study of the interrelationship of genetic differences and drug effects.
Pharmacology is the study of drugs (chemicals), including their origin, properties, and
interactions with living organisms. Therapeutics is the art of treating disease with drugs.
Toxicology is the study of toxic substances and their pharmacologic actions, including
antidotes and poison control.
REF: p. 3
,4. The brand name given to a drug by a particular manufacturer is known as the drug’s
a. chemical name.
b. generic name.
c. official name.
d. trade name.
ANS: D
The chemical name indicates the drug’s chemical structure. The generic name is assigned by
the United States Adopted Name Council and is usually based loosely on the drug’s chemical
structure. The official name is the name given to the generic name once a drug becomes fully
approved for general use and is admitted to the United States Pharmacopeia–National
Formulary. The trade name is the brand, or proprietary, name given by a particular
manufacturer. For example, the generic drug albuterol is currently marketed by Schering-
Plough as Proventil® and by GlaxoSmithKline as Ventolin®.
REF: p. 5
5. To find official information about drugs (according to the FDA), you need to go to the
a. Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR).
b. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology.
c. United States Pharmacopeia–National Formulary (USP-NF).
d. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics.
ANS: C
Because the PDR is prepared by drug manufacturers themselves, it may be lacking in
objectivity. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology covers only general pharmacologic principles and
drug classes. Goodman & Gilman’s The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics covers only
general pharmacologic principles and drug classes. The USP-NF is a book of standards
containing information about medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers this book the official standard for drugs
marketed in the United States.
REF: p. 5
6. Drugs may be obtained from which of the following sources?
a. Plants
b. Animals
c. Minerals
d. Plants, animals, and minerals
ANS: D
Drugs may be obtained from plants (e.g., digitalis), animals (e.g., insulin), and minerals (e.g.,
magnesium sulfate).
REF: p. 5
7. The branch of the U.S. government responsible for the process of approving drugs for clinical
use is the
a. USAN Council.
b. FDA.
, c. USP-NF.
d. PDR.
ANS: B
The United States Adopted Name (USAN) Council is responsible for assigning a generic
name to a chemical that appears to have therapeutic use. The U.S. Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) is responsible for the process of approving drugs for clinical use. The
process by which a chemical moves from the status of a promising potential drug to one fully
approved by the FDA for general clinical use is, on average, long, costly, and complex. Cost
estimates vary, but in the 1980s it took an average of 13 to 15 years from chemical synthesis
to marketing approval by the FDA, with a cost of $350 million in the United States. The USP-
NF is a book of standards for medications, dietary supplements, and medical devices. The
PDR is a source of drug information prepared by drug manufacturers.
REF: p. 4
8. An orphan drug is a drug that is
a. used for rare disease.
b. used for common disease.
c. inexpensive to produce.
d. not claimed by a drug manufacturer.
ANS: A
An orphan drug is a drug or biologic product for the diagnosis or treatment of a rare disease.
Rare is defined as a disease that affects less than 200,000 persons in the United States.
Alternatively, a drug may be designated as an orphan if used for a disease that affects more
than 200,000 persons in the United States but for which there is no reasonable expectation of
recovering the cost of drug development. Orphan drugs are often quite expensive to produce
because they have a limited market in which to recoup the initial investment.
REF: p. 6 | p. 7
9. Which of the following health care practitioners are authorized to write a prescription in the
United States?
1. Physicians
2. Chiropractors
3. Dentists
4. Osteopaths
5. Veterinarians
a. 1 only
b. 1, 2, and 3 only
c. 1, 3, 4, and 5 only
d. 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5
ANS: C
A prescription may be written by a physician, osteopath, dentist, and veterinarian and some
other practitioners but not by chiropractors.
REF: p. 7
