Penn Foster Pharmacology | Questions & Answers (100 %Score) Latest Updated 2024/2025
Comprehensive Questions A+ Graded Answers | 100% Pass
Adverse drug event - harm to a patient caused by a therapeutic or preventive intervention. It could be
due to a medication error or adverse drug reaction
Adverse drug reaction - an undesirable response to a drug by a patient. It may vary in severity from mild
to fatal
Agonist - a drug that brings about a specific action by binding with the appropriate receptor
antagonist - a drug that inhibits a specific action by binding with a particular receptor
compounding - any medication preformed to produce a dosage-form drug, other than the manipulation
described in the directions for use on the labeling of an approved drug product
drug - a substance used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease
efficacy - the extent to which a drug causes the intended effects in a patient
extralabel use - the use of a drug that is not specifically listed on the US Food and Drug Administration
approved label
half-life - the amount of time that it takes for the quantity of a drug in the body to be reduced by 50%
manufacturing - the bulk production of drugs for resale outside of the veterinarian-client-patient
relationship
metabolism - the biochemical process that alters a drug from an active form to a form that is inactive or
that can be eliminated from the body
,parenteral - the route of administration of injectable drugs
partition coefficient - the ration of the solubility of substances between two states in which they may be
found
prescription (legend) drug - a drug that is limited to use under the supervision of a veterinarian because
of potential danger, difficulty of administration, or other considerations
regimen - a program for administration of a drug that includes the route, the dose, the frequency, and
the duration of administration
residue - an amount of a drug still present in animal tissue or products at a particular point
veterinarian-client-patient relationship - the set of circumstances that must exist between the
veterinarian, the client, and the patient before the dispensing of prescription drugs is appropriate
withdrawal time - the length of time it takes for a drug to be eliminated from animal tissue or products
after it is no longer used
indications - the reasons for using drugs
contraindications - reasons for not using drugs
pharmacokinetics - plasma or tissue levels of a drug are altered by the presence of another
pharmacodynamics - the action or effect of one drug is altered by another
list common sources of drugs used in veterinary medicine - plants, materials, animals, laboratories
diagnostic method - involves assessment of a patient, including a history, physical examination,
laboratory test, and other diagnostic procedures to arrive at a specific diagnosis
,empirical method - calls on the use of practical experience and common sense when the drug choice is
made
for veterinarian-client-patient relationship to occur conditions must be met - the vet has assumed
responsibility for making clinical judgments about the health of the animal and the need for treatment,
and the client has agreed to follow the vet's instructions; the vet has sufficient knowledge of the animal
to issue a diagnosis, the vet must have seen the animal recently; the vet must be available for follow up
evaluation
technician important responsibilities in caring out written orders to administer drugs - correct drug,
correct route, correct time, observing animal's response to the drug, questioning any medication orders
that are not clear, creating and affixing labels to medication containers accurately, expaining
administration instructions to clients, recording appropriate information in the record
over the counter drugs - drugs that do not have enough potential to be toxic or that do not require
administration in special ways that do not require the supervision of a vet
describe the events that occur after a drug is administered - it is available for absorption into the
bloodstream where the drug may bind with plasma protein or stay in the free state. The blood then
distributes it to the capillary level where the drug goes into the interstitial fluid. the interstitial fluid
coats the cell or binds with surface receptors. The drug then exits the cell and moves back to the
interstitial fluid where it reenters circulation and is metabolized in the liver and sent to the kidneys to be
excreted
List and describe the routes used for administration of drugs - intravenous (IV)- IV produces most rapid
onset accompanied by the shortest duration
Intramuscular (IM)- IM produces slower onset of action but longer duration of action
Subcutaneous (SC)- SQ produces slower onset of action but slightly longer duration than IM
Intradermal (ID)- primarily for testing for tuberculosis and allergies
Intraperitoneal (IP) -> abdominal cavity; used to administer fluids, blood, and other medications when
normal routes are not available
Intaarterial (IA) -> artery; seldom used
Intraarticular -> joint; used primarily to treat inflammatory conditions of the joint
, Intacardiac -> chest wall directly into chambers of heart- provides immediate access to the bloodstream
and ensures that the drug is delivered quickly to all tissues
Intramedullary -> directly into bone marrow; bones most used are femur and humerus; used to provide
blood or fluids to animals with very small or damaged veins or for treatment of animals with very low
blood pressure
Epidural/subdural -> epidural: outside the dura mater but inside the spinal canal
Subdural-> inside the dura mater (also called intrathecal route)
biotransformation - the body's ability to change a drug from the form in which it was administered into a
form that can be eliminated from the body
list common chemical reactions involved in biotransformation - Oxidation- loss of electrons
Reduction- gain of electrons
Hydrolysis- splitting of the drug molecule and addition of a water molecule to each of the split portions
Conjugation- the addition of glucuronic acid or similar compounds to the drug molecule
factors that alter drug metabolism - species, age, nutritional status, tissue storage, health status
kidneys excrete drugs by - Glomerular filtration: glomerulus acts like a sieve to filter drug metabolites
from the blood into the glomerular filtrate, which is eliminated as urine
Tubular secretion- kidney tubule cells secrete metabolites from the capillaries surrounding the tubule
and into the glomerular filtrate, which becomes urine
list routes of drug excretion - kidneys, liver(bile->small intestines->fecal), lungs(gas goes through blood->
alveoli-> expired air),
Some may be actively secreted across the intestinal mucosa into the intestine for elimination,
Some drugs are eliminated through sweat and saliva
affinity - the tendency of a drug to combine with a receptor
partial agonist - a drug with less affinity and efficacy
Comprehensive Questions A+ Graded Answers | 100% Pass
Adverse drug event - harm to a patient caused by a therapeutic or preventive intervention. It could be
due to a medication error or adverse drug reaction
Adverse drug reaction - an undesirable response to a drug by a patient. It may vary in severity from mild
to fatal
Agonist - a drug that brings about a specific action by binding with the appropriate receptor
antagonist - a drug that inhibits a specific action by binding with a particular receptor
compounding - any medication preformed to produce a dosage-form drug, other than the manipulation
described in the directions for use on the labeling of an approved drug product
drug - a substance used to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease
efficacy - the extent to which a drug causes the intended effects in a patient
extralabel use - the use of a drug that is not specifically listed on the US Food and Drug Administration
approved label
half-life - the amount of time that it takes for the quantity of a drug in the body to be reduced by 50%
manufacturing - the bulk production of drugs for resale outside of the veterinarian-client-patient
relationship
metabolism - the biochemical process that alters a drug from an active form to a form that is inactive or
that can be eliminated from the body
,parenteral - the route of administration of injectable drugs
partition coefficient - the ration of the solubility of substances between two states in which they may be
found
prescription (legend) drug - a drug that is limited to use under the supervision of a veterinarian because
of potential danger, difficulty of administration, or other considerations
regimen - a program for administration of a drug that includes the route, the dose, the frequency, and
the duration of administration
residue - an amount of a drug still present in animal tissue or products at a particular point
veterinarian-client-patient relationship - the set of circumstances that must exist between the
veterinarian, the client, and the patient before the dispensing of prescription drugs is appropriate
withdrawal time - the length of time it takes for a drug to be eliminated from animal tissue or products
after it is no longer used
indications - the reasons for using drugs
contraindications - reasons for not using drugs
pharmacokinetics - plasma or tissue levels of a drug are altered by the presence of another
pharmacodynamics - the action or effect of one drug is altered by another
list common sources of drugs used in veterinary medicine - plants, materials, animals, laboratories
diagnostic method - involves assessment of a patient, including a history, physical examination,
laboratory test, and other diagnostic procedures to arrive at a specific diagnosis
,empirical method - calls on the use of practical experience and common sense when the drug choice is
made
for veterinarian-client-patient relationship to occur conditions must be met - the vet has assumed
responsibility for making clinical judgments about the health of the animal and the need for treatment,
and the client has agreed to follow the vet's instructions; the vet has sufficient knowledge of the animal
to issue a diagnosis, the vet must have seen the animal recently; the vet must be available for follow up
evaluation
technician important responsibilities in caring out written orders to administer drugs - correct drug,
correct route, correct time, observing animal's response to the drug, questioning any medication orders
that are not clear, creating and affixing labels to medication containers accurately, expaining
administration instructions to clients, recording appropriate information in the record
over the counter drugs - drugs that do not have enough potential to be toxic or that do not require
administration in special ways that do not require the supervision of a vet
describe the events that occur after a drug is administered - it is available for absorption into the
bloodstream where the drug may bind with plasma protein or stay in the free state. The blood then
distributes it to the capillary level where the drug goes into the interstitial fluid. the interstitial fluid
coats the cell or binds with surface receptors. The drug then exits the cell and moves back to the
interstitial fluid where it reenters circulation and is metabolized in the liver and sent to the kidneys to be
excreted
List and describe the routes used for administration of drugs - intravenous (IV)- IV produces most rapid
onset accompanied by the shortest duration
Intramuscular (IM)- IM produces slower onset of action but longer duration of action
Subcutaneous (SC)- SQ produces slower onset of action but slightly longer duration than IM
Intradermal (ID)- primarily for testing for tuberculosis and allergies
Intraperitoneal (IP) -> abdominal cavity; used to administer fluids, blood, and other medications when
normal routes are not available
Intaarterial (IA) -> artery; seldom used
Intraarticular -> joint; used primarily to treat inflammatory conditions of the joint
, Intacardiac -> chest wall directly into chambers of heart- provides immediate access to the bloodstream
and ensures that the drug is delivered quickly to all tissues
Intramedullary -> directly into bone marrow; bones most used are femur and humerus; used to provide
blood or fluids to animals with very small or damaged veins or for treatment of animals with very low
blood pressure
Epidural/subdural -> epidural: outside the dura mater but inside the spinal canal
Subdural-> inside the dura mater (also called intrathecal route)
biotransformation - the body's ability to change a drug from the form in which it was administered into a
form that can be eliminated from the body
list common chemical reactions involved in biotransformation - Oxidation- loss of electrons
Reduction- gain of electrons
Hydrolysis- splitting of the drug molecule and addition of a water molecule to each of the split portions
Conjugation- the addition of glucuronic acid or similar compounds to the drug molecule
factors that alter drug metabolism - species, age, nutritional status, tissue storage, health status
kidneys excrete drugs by - Glomerular filtration: glomerulus acts like a sieve to filter drug metabolites
from the blood into the glomerular filtrate, which is eliminated as urine
Tubular secretion- kidney tubule cells secrete metabolites from the capillaries surrounding the tubule
and into the glomerular filtrate, which becomes urine
list routes of drug excretion - kidneys, liver(bile->small intestines->fecal), lungs(gas goes through blood->
alveoli-> expired air),
Some may be actively secreted across the intestinal mucosa into the intestine for elimination,
Some drugs are eliminated through sweat and saliva
affinity - the tendency of a drug to combine with a receptor
partial agonist - a drug with less affinity and efficacy
