Pathophysiology and Pharmacology -
EXAM 1 2025 Questions and Answers
pharmacology - ANSWER✔✔-the study of medicines, including the study of how drugs are
administered and how the body responds.
pharmacotherapy - ANSWER✔✔-the application of drugs to treat disease and ease human suffering
How can therapeutic agents be classified? - ANSWER✔✔-drugs, biologics, or complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) therapies
How can drugs be organized? - ANSWER✔✔-by their therapeutic or pharmacologic classification
How many names do drugs have and what are they? - ANSWER✔✔-3; chemical name, generic
name, trade/brand name
chemical name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-strict chemical nomenclature used for naming drugs
established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
generic name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-nonproprietary name of a drug assigned by the government;
i.e. ibuprofen
trade name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-proprietary name of a drug assigned by the manufacturer; also
called the brand name or product name; proprietary means ownership; i.e. advil
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,What are nurses expected to understand about all medication given to patients? - ANSWER✔✔-
pharmacotherapeutic principles
What are the nurse's responsibilities as far as giving medications? - ANSWER✔✔-what drug is
ordered
name and drug classification
intended purpose or use
effects on the body
contraindication
special considerations (how age, weight, body fat distribution, pathophysiological states affect
response)
side effects
why the medication was prescribed
how the medication is supplied in the pharmacy
how the medication administered, including dosage range
what nursing process consideration relates to the medication apply to the paltient
all variables of the patient's condition
prepared to recognize and react to adverse effects
combination drug - ANSWER✔✔-drug product with more than one active generic ingredient
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,therapeutic classification of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-method for organizing drugs on the basis of
their clinical usefulness in treating particular diseases or disorders
pharmacologic classification of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-method for organizing drugs on the basis of
their mechanism of action
Who was John Jacob Abel? - ANSWER✔✔-father of American pharmacology, founded first
pharmacology department in United States at University of Michigan in 1890
How many drugs are currently available? - ANSWER✔✔-10,000
factors of the patient that affect their individual response to a drug - ANSWER✔✔-age, sex, body
mass, health status, genetics
what is medication? - ANSWER✔✔-an administered drug
what are biologics and what are some examples? - ANSWER✔✔-agents naturally produced in
animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself; hormones, monoclonal antibodies, natural
blood products/components, interferons, vaccines
what are some examples of complementary and alternative therapies? - ANSWER✔✔-natural plant
extracts, herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, physical therapy, manipulations, massage,
acupuncture, hypnosis, biofeedback
bioavailability - ANSWER✔✔-physiologic ability of the drug to reach target cell and produce effect.
FDA - ANSWER✔✔-Food and Drug Administration, established in 1988, agency of U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, What are the three checks of drug administration? - ANSWER✔✔-- checking drug with MAR or
medication information system when removing it from storage
- checking drug when preparing it, poring it, taking it out the unit-dose container, or connecting the
IV tubing to bag
- checking drug before administering it to the patient
Who has responsibility when mistakes occur with medication? - ANSWER✔✔-nurse, prescriber,
and the pharmacists
compliance - ANSWER✔✔-taking a medication in the manner prescribed by the health care
provider
Factors that can cause a patient to deviate from compliance - ANSWER✔✔-cost of drug, forgetting
doses, annoying side effects, self-adjustment of doses, fear of dependency
Four most common Medication Errors - ANSWER✔✔-errors in patient assessment (inadequate
medication history, incomplete PA), errors in prescribing, administration errors (route or time of
administration, omissions), distracting environmental factors (interruptions during drug
preparations)
Abbreviation: ac - ANSWER✔✔-before meals
abbreviation: bid - ANSWER✔✔-twice a day
abbreviation: cap - ANSWER✔✔-capsule
abbreviation: gtt - ANSWER✔✔-drop
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
EXAM 1 2025 Questions and Answers
pharmacology - ANSWER✔✔-the study of medicines, including the study of how drugs are
administered and how the body responds.
pharmacotherapy - ANSWER✔✔-the application of drugs to treat disease and ease human suffering
How can therapeutic agents be classified? - ANSWER✔✔-drugs, biologics, or complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) therapies
How can drugs be organized? - ANSWER✔✔-by their therapeutic or pharmacologic classification
How many names do drugs have and what are they? - ANSWER✔✔-3; chemical name, generic
name, trade/brand name
chemical name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-strict chemical nomenclature used for naming drugs
established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC)
generic name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-nonproprietary name of a drug assigned by the government;
i.e. ibuprofen
trade name of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-proprietary name of a drug assigned by the manufacturer; also
called the brand name or product name; proprietary means ownership; i.e. advil
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,What are nurses expected to understand about all medication given to patients? - ANSWER✔✔-
pharmacotherapeutic principles
What are the nurse's responsibilities as far as giving medications? - ANSWER✔✔-what drug is
ordered
name and drug classification
intended purpose or use
effects on the body
contraindication
special considerations (how age, weight, body fat distribution, pathophysiological states affect
response)
side effects
why the medication was prescribed
how the medication is supplied in the pharmacy
how the medication administered, including dosage range
what nursing process consideration relates to the medication apply to the paltient
all variables of the patient's condition
prepared to recognize and react to adverse effects
combination drug - ANSWER✔✔-drug product with more than one active generic ingredient
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,therapeutic classification of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-method for organizing drugs on the basis of
their clinical usefulness in treating particular diseases or disorders
pharmacologic classification of a drug - ANSWER✔✔-method for organizing drugs on the basis of
their mechanism of action
Who was John Jacob Abel? - ANSWER✔✔-father of American pharmacology, founded first
pharmacology department in United States at University of Michigan in 1890
How many drugs are currently available? - ANSWER✔✔-10,000
factors of the patient that affect their individual response to a drug - ANSWER✔✔-age, sex, body
mass, health status, genetics
what is medication? - ANSWER✔✔-an administered drug
what are biologics and what are some examples? - ANSWER✔✔-agents naturally produced in
animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself; hormones, monoclonal antibodies, natural
blood products/components, interferons, vaccines
what are some examples of complementary and alternative therapies? - ANSWER✔✔-natural plant
extracts, herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, physical therapy, manipulations, massage,
acupuncture, hypnosis, biofeedback
bioavailability - ANSWER✔✔-physiologic ability of the drug to reach target cell and produce effect.
FDA - ANSWER✔✔-Food and Drug Administration, established in 1988, agency of U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, What are the three checks of drug administration? - ANSWER✔✔-- checking drug with MAR or
medication information system when removing it from storage
- checking drug when preparing it, poring it, taking it out the unit-dose container, or connecting the
IV tubing to bag
- checking drug before administering it to the patient
Who has responsibility when mistakes occur with medication? - ANSWER✔✔-nurse, prescriber,
and the pharmacists
compliance - ANSWER✔✔-taking a medication in the manner prescribed by the health care
provider
Factors that can cause a patient to deviate from compliance - ANSWER✔✔-cost of drug, forgetting
doses, annoying side effects, self-adjustment of doses, fear of dependency
Four most common Medication Errors - ANSWER✔✔-errors in patient assessment (inadequate
medication history, incomplete PA), errors in prescribing, administration errors (route or time of
administration, omissions), distracting environmental factors (interruptions during drug
preparations)
Abbreviation: ac - ANSWER✔✔-before meals
abbreviation: bid - ANSWER✔✔-twice a day
abbreviation: cap - ANSWER✔✔-capsule
abbreviation: gtt - ANSWER✔✔-drop
FOR STUDY PURPOSES ONLY COPYRIGHT © 2025 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
