ATI PHARMACOLOGY PROCTORED EXAM WITH 100+
QUESTIONS WITH MOST VERIFIED ANSWERS UPDATED
2025// A+GRADE
What drugs should not be taken concurrently with grapefruit juice?
ANSWER Calcium channel blockers, benzodiapines, and statins
What is a teratogen? ANSWER A chemical found in many medications
that have proven to cause birth defects.
What is pharmacodynamics? -Kinetics? ANSWER Pharmacodynamics:
What the drug does to the body (dynamics-drug)
Pharmacokinetics: what the body does to the drug (absorb, distribute,
metabolize, excrete).
What is the first pass effect? ANSWER When drugs move through the
GI and are metabolized by the liver before they perform desired effect.
Giving medication parenterally keeps the drug in the blood for longer
because it will take longer for all the blood to move through the liver.
What is half-life? ANSWER The length of time it take to decrease the
original dosage of the drug in the BLOOD by half. It is excreted.
What is an idiopathic response? ANSWER A response that is
unpredicted, unexplainable.
,Symptoms of salicylism ANSWER TINNITUS, metabolic acidosis
associated with hyperventilation (compensatory respiratory alkalosis)
Nursing implication when administering opioids (morphine) ANSWER
1. Respiratory depression***
2. Constipation (decrease peristalsis)***
3. Euphoria (kappa; addictive)
4. Hypotension
5. Urinary retention
What opioid antagonist should you know? How does it act? ANSWER
Narcan (Naloxone) is an opioid antagonist. It has a greater AFFINITY
(liking) to opioid receptors (mu and kappa) kicking the opioid out.
Causes immediate withdrawal symptoms. Used when an opioid causes
severe respiratory depression
What is Naltrexone? When is it used? ANSWER Naltrexone is a partial
opioid antagonist. It is generally used to wean dependence because it
takes away the feeling of the high but it does not induce withdrawal
symptoms.
What is Tramadol? Why is it preferred over opioids and NSAIDs?
ANSWER Non-opioid drug that only acts on mu receptors (not kappa
that cause respiratory depression and euphoria making it addictive). It is
preferred because it DOES NOT cause respiratory depression and DOES
NOT cause GI upset.
,What drugs are used to treat muscle spasms? How do they work?
ANSWER NSAIDs and muscle relaxers. Muscle relaxers do not act
directly on the muscle, but as a sedative (cyclobenzaprine). Dantrolene
is the only drug that acts directly on the muscle, although is no longer
prescribed due to causing death
Maximum daily dosage of acetaminophen (Tylenol). Why? ANSWER
Maximum dose is 4000 mg/day. Extremely hard on the liver and is put
in a lot of OTC drugs (cough syrup, tylenol). It is the leading cause of
acute liver failure in the US. Used with sensitivity to NSAIDs because
there is no GI upset.
What should you monitor in a patient taking pseudophedrine and has
diabetes? ANSWER Pseduo is an adrenergic agonist and therefore
naturally increases glucose levels, but make it so testing insulin levels is
ineffective. SIGNS OF HYPOGLYCEMIA ARE MASKED; MONITOR
GLUCOSE LEVELS CLOSELY
What might a nurse expect when administering pseudophedrine, an
adrenergic agonist? ANSWER Vasoconstriction (increased BP), dilated
pupils (sympathetic effect). May cause REFLEX BRADYCARDIA.
Should not be administered within 21 days of administering a MAOI.
Which drugs are used to treat migraines? How do they work? ANSWER
Triptans and ergot alkaloids. Triptans are the safest because they only
constrict certain cranial vessels where as ergot alkaloids constrict ALL
vessels in the brain.
, What category is Aricept (donepezil), what does it do? ANSWER
Aricept is a cholinergic agonist often used to treat alzheimer's patients as
it has proven to increase memory. It inhibits Ach-E (enzyme that breaks
down Ach) allowing more to be available in the synapse.
What drug category is Atropine, and what is it used to treat? ANSWER
Atropine is a anticholinergic drug that is used to treat cholinergic crisis
(excessive fluid loss; drop in BP). It emits a sympathetic response and
drys up all fluids and increasing BP.
What is a benzodiazaine used to treat? How? (Know the drug)
ANSWER Lorazepam. It is used to treat anxiety and mild insomnia.
Increases the effect of GABBA (main inhibitory enzyme). Wide margin
of safety and wide therapeutic margin.
Nursing implications for taking benzos ANSWER May cause dizziness,
drowsiness, vertigo, blurred vision (think sedative). Also a paradoxical
reaction (opposite) may occur; likely in older adults, psychiatric patients,
and hyperactive children. There is a high risk for DEPENDENCE.
What should benzos not be taken with? (drugs and contraindications)
ANSWER Should not be taking when pregnant or lactating. History of
substance abuse; high risk of dependence. While taking oral
contraceptives (mess with metabolism; can increase or reduce effect)
What are barbiturates used to treat? How do they work? (know the drug)
ANSWER phenobarbitol (Luminal). It is a sedative-hypnotic. Low doses
treat anxiety, moderate doses treat seizures, and high doses are
QUESTIONS WITH MOST VERIFIED ANSWERS UPDATED
2025// A+GRADE
What drugs should not be taken concurrently with grapefruit juice?
ANSWER Calcium channel blockers, benzodiapines, and statins
What is a teratogen? ANSWER A chemical found in many medications
that have proven to cause birth defects.
What is pharmacodynamics? -Kinetics? ANSWER Pharmacodynamics:
What the drug does to the body (dynamics-drug)
Pharmacokinetics: what the body does to the drug (absorb, distribute,
metabolize, excrete).
What is the first pass effect? ANSWER When drugs move through the
GI and are metabolized by the liver before they perform desired effect.
Giving medication parenterally keeps the drug in the blood for longer
because it will take longer for all the blood to move through the liver.
What is half-life? ANSWER The length of time it take to decrease the
original dosage of the drug in the BLOOD by half. It is excreted.
What is an idiopathic response? ANSWER A response that is
unpredicted, unexplainable.
,Symptoms of salicylism ANSWER TINNITUS, metabolic acidosis
associated with hyperventilation (compensatory respiratory alkalosis)
Nursing implication when administering opioids (morphine) ANSWER
1. Respiratory depression***
2. Constipation (decrease peristalsis)***
3. Euphoria (kappa; addictive)
4. Hypotension
5. Urinary retention
What opioid antagonist should you know? How does it act? ANSWER
Narcan (Naloxone) is an opioid antagonist. It has a greater AFFINITY
(liking) to opioid receptors (mu and kappa) kicking the opioid out.
Causes immediate withdrawal symptoms. Used when an opioid causes
severe respiratory depression
What is Naltrexone? When is it used? ANSWER Naltrexone is a partial
opioid antagonist. It is generally used to wean dependence because it
takes away the feeling of the high but it does not induce withdrawal
symptoms.
What is Tramadol? Why is it preferred over opioids and NSAIDs?
ANSWER Non-opioid drug that only acts on mu receptors (not kappa
that cause respiratory depression and euphoria making it addictive). It is
preferred because it DOES NOT cause respiratory depression and DOES
NOT cause GI upset.
,What drugs are used to treat muscle spasms? How do they work?
ANSWER NSAIDs and muscle relaxers. Muscle relaxers do not act
directly on the muscle, but as a sedative (cyclobenzaprine). Dantrolene
is the only drug that acts directly on the muscle, although is no longer
prescribed due to causing death
Maximum daily dosage of acetaminophen (Tylenol). Why? ANSWER
Maximum dose is 4000 mg/day. Extremely hard on the liver and is put
in a lot of OTC drugs (cough syrup, tylenol). It is the leading cause of
acute liver failure in the US. Used with sensitivity to NSAIDs because
there is no GI upset.
What should you monitor in a patient taking pseudophedrine and has
diabetes? ANSWER Pseduo is an adrenergic agonist and therefore
naturally increases glucose levels, but make it so testing insulin levels is
ineffective. SIGNS OF HYPOGLYCEMIA ARE MASKED; MONITOR
GLUCOSE LEVELS CLOSELY
What might a nurse expect when administering pseudophedrine, an
adrenergic agonist? ANSWER Vasoconstriction (increased BP), dilated
pupils (sympathetic effect). May cause REFLEX BRADYCARDIA.
Should not be administered within 21 days of administering a MAOI.
Which drugs are used to treat migraines? How do they work? ANSWER
Triptans and ergot alkaloids. Triptans are the safest because they only
constrict certain cranial vessels where as ergot alkaloids constrict ALL
vessels in the brain.
, What category is Aricept (donepezil), what does it do? ANSWER
Aricept is a cholinergic agonist often used to treat alzheimer's patients as
it has proven to increase memory. It inhibits Ach-E (enzyme that breaks
down Ach) allowing more to be available in the synapse.
What drug category is Atropine, and what is it used to treat? ANSWER
Atropine is a anticholinergic drug that is used to treat cholinergic crisis
(excessive fluid loss; drop in BP). It emits a sympathetic response and
drys up all fluids and increasing BP.
What is a benzodiazaine used to treat? How? (Know the drug)
ANSWER Lorazepam. It is used to treat anxiety and mild insomnia.
Increases the effect of GABBA (main inhibitory enzyme). Wide margin
of safety and wide therapeutic margin.
Nursing implications for taking benzos ANSWER May cause dizziness,
drowsiness, vertigo, blurred vision (think sedative). Also a paradoxical
reaction (opposite) may occur; likely in older adults, psychiatric patients,
and hyperactive children. There is a high risk for DEPENDENCE.
What should benzos not be taken with? (drugs and contraindications)
ANSWER Should not be taking when pregnant or lactating. History of
substance abuse; high risk of dependence. While taking oral
contraceptives (mess with metabolism; can increase or reduce effect)
What are barbiturates used to treat? How do they work? (know the drug)
ANSWER phenobarbitol (Luminal). It is a sedative-hypnotic. Low doses
treat anxiety, moderate doses treat seizures, and high doses are
