Galen NUR 210 Exam 1 Modules 1-3 questions with
correct answers
Pharmacokinetics - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔The process in which medications move through
the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics? - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔absorption,
distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔happens with drug movement from the GI tract into the
bloodstream. Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Takes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go
through the GI system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Absorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Absorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Dissolution happens when a po medication breaks
down into particles, disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from the GI
tract into the bloodstream occurs.
,Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with the absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Parenteral medications (SL, eyedrops,
inhalants, transdermal) do not pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill reaches the small
intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be crushed.
Factors that affect absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔•Lack of muscle and increased fat
changes medicine absorption
•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Fillers and other substances that make up tablets as a
pill is not 100% drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN, which is not well
absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the absorption of PCN
first pass effect - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔•the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where
some of the drug becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Food doesn't move like it should
Distribution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔refers to the movement of the drug from the
circulation to body tissues
Factors affecting distribution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-blood flow to tissues
, -protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Drugs bind with proteins in blood
Some drugs are highly protein bound and other are weakly protein bound
free drugs - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔drugs not bound to protein
Drug Toxicity - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-Two highly protein bound drugs compete and one
might accumulate and cause a toxicity
-it is important to know if you are administering highly protein bound medications and monitor
albumin levels in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-Some drugs that are highly protein bound include: Warfarin
Furosemide
Diazepam
Drug distribution and albumin - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-A decrease in albumin levels
decrease the protein-binding sites, which means more of the free drug is circulated.
-This can be fatal with some meds.
-Free drugs are those not bound to protein, which means they are active in the body and cause a
pharmacologic response.
-Older adults, malnourished individuals, and those with liver or kidney disease have low albumin
levels.
Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-The BBB protects the brain from most
drugs.
-Some meds are able to cross the BBB such as benzodiazepines.
-Drugs can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortion or alter fetal growth and
development.
correct answers
Pharmacokinetics - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔The process in which medications move through
the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics? - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔absorption,
distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔happens with drug movement from the GI tract into the
bloodstream. Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Takes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go
through the GI system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Absorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Absorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Dissolution happens when a po medication breaks
down into particles, disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from the GI
tract into the bloodstream occurs.
,Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with the absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Parenteral medications (SL, eyedrops,
inhalants, transdermal) do not pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill reaches the small
intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be crushed.
Factors that affect absorption - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔•Lack of muscle and increased fat
changes medicine absorption
•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Fillers and other substances that make up tablets as a
pill is not 100% drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN, which is not well
absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the absorption of PCN
first pass effect - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔•the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where
some of the drug becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Food doesn't move like it should
Distribution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔refers to the movement of the drug from the
circulation to body tissues
Factors affecting distribution - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-blood flow to tissues
, -protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔Drugs bind with proteins in blood
Some drugs are highly protein bound and other are weakly protein bound
free drugs - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔drugs not bound to protein
Drug Toxicity - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-Two highly protein bound drugs compete and one
might accumulate and cause a toxicity
-it is important to know if you are administering highly protein bound medications and monitor
albumin levels in patients with liver or kidney disease.
-Some drugs that are highly protein bound include: Warfarin
Furosemide
Diazepam
Drug distribution and albumin - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-A decrease in albumin levels
decrease the protein-binding sites, which means more of the free drug is circulated.
-This can be fatal with some meds.
-Free drugs are those not bound to protein, which means they are active in the body and cause a
pharmacologic response.
-Older adults, malnourished individuals, and those with liver or kidney disease have low albumin
levels.
Blood Brain Barrier (BBB) - ** VERIFIED ANSWERS **✔✔-The BBB protects the brain from most
drugs.
-Some meds are able to cross the BBB such as benzodiazepines.
-Drugs can cross the placenta and cause spontaneous abortion or alter fetal growth and
development.
