, Chapter 1: Principles of Pharmacology
Multiple Choice
1. refer(s) to specific molecular changes that occur when a drug binds to a
particular target site or receptor, while are the resulting widespread alterations
in function.
a. Drug action; therapeutic effects
b. Side effects; drug effects
c. Therapeutic effects; side effects
d. Drug action; drug effects
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Pharmacology: The Science of Drug Action
2. After drug administration has occurred, the amount of drug in the blood that is free to
bind at specific target sites is referred to as
a. the therapeutic dose.
b. first-pass effects.
c. bioavailability.
d. ED50.
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
3. The specific molecular changes that occur when a drug binds to a particular target site
or receptor are referred to as
a. drug effects.
b. drug action.
c. side effects.
d. placebo effects.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacology: The Science of Drug Action
4. Which of the following is not a possible explanation for placebo effects?
a. Pavlovian conditioning
b. Genetic variation
c. Drug competition
d. Expectation of outcome
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacology: The Science of Drug Action
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,5. The administration of oxytocin has been proposed as a treatment for autism.
a. intravenous
b. oral
c. intranasal
d. intracerebral
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
6. Which factor does not affect the pharmacokinetics of a drug?
a. Route of administration
b. Lipid solubility
c. Depot binding
d. Drug action
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
7. First-pass metabolism occurs when drugs are taken
a. orally.
b. intravenously.
c. subcutaneously.
d. nasally.
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
8. The area postrema is one area in the brain where the is not complete.
a. cerebrospinal fluid
b. blood–brain barrier
c. choroid plexus
d. phospholipid membrane
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
9. First-pass metabolism occurs with orally administered drugs because
a. their absorption is slowed by food.
b. drugs absorbed into the bloodstream from the stomach go to the liver on the way to
general circulation.
c. drugs must first survive the acidic environment of the stomach.
d. salivary enzymes in the mouth begin the process of metabolism.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
10. Toxic substances in the blood trigger a vomiting response by activating the
a. blood–brain barrier.
b. choroid plexus.
c. area postrema.
d. median eminence.
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,Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
11. Drugs administered _ have the most rapid onset of action.
a. subcutaneously
b. intramuscularly
c. orally
d. intravenously
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
12. Ionization of a drug depends on the of the solution and the of the
drug.
a. pH; pKa
b. pKa; pH
c. concentration; lipid solubility
d. pH; concentration
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
13. The absorption of a drug depends on all of the following except
a. lipid solubility.
b. ionization.
c. body temperature.
d. the concentration of the drug.
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
14. Drugs that are should be avoided by women of childbearing age.
a. teratogenic
b. able to cross the placental barrier
c. psychoactive
d. highly lipid-soluble
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
15. Agents that induce developmental abnormalities in a fetus are known as
a. psychoactive drugs.
b. illicit drugs.
c. teratogens.
d. placental drugs.
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
16. Depot binding is said to occur when drugs
a. bind to their target sites.
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,b. bind to inactive sites.
c. compete for binding sites.
d. are excreted before binding.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
17. Which statement about depot binding is false?
a. It reduces the concentration of drug at its site of action.
b. It may delay the onset of drug action.
c. It may prolong drug action by disrupting normal metabolism.
d. It increases the concentration of drug at its site of action by releasing large quantities at
once.
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
18. Drug metabolism mostly occurs in the and usually makes a drug more
soluble.
a. kidneys; fat
b. liver; fat
c. liver; water
d. kidneys; water
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
19. Which statement about drug clearance by first-order kinetics is false?
a. Molecules of a drug are cleared at a constant rate regardless of drug concentration.
b. Molecules of a drug are cleared at an exponential rate.
c. A constant fraction of the free drug in the blood is removed in each time interval.
d. Clearance of most drugs occurs in this manner.
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
20. Ethyl alcohol (ethanol) is an example of a drug that is eliminated
a. by first-order kinetics.
b. by zero-order kinetics.
c. by second-order kinetics.
d. at the point that six half-lives have passed.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
21. Biotransformation of drugs in the liver often occurs in two stages; phase I changes are
and include .
a. nonsynthetic; conjugation
b. synthetic; conjugation
c. nonsynthetic; oxidation
d. synthetic; oxidation
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, Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
22. Biotransformation of drugs can result in the formation of , which enter the
circulation and cause .
a. inactive metabolites; sensitization
b. active metabolites; prolonged drug action
c. active metabolites; tolerance
d. enzymes; tolerance
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
23. Which statement about water-soluble metabolites formed in the liver is false?
a. They may return to the circulation and act on target tissues.
b. They may be filtered out by the kidneys.
c. They may be excreted into bile.
d. They may be eliminated with the feces.
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
24. Which statement about microsomal enzymes in the liver is false?
a. They are highly specific and act only on certain compounds.
b. They are located on the smooth endoplasmic reticulum.
c. The cytochrome P450 family is one of the most important.
d. They can metabolize toxins and environmental pollutants as well as drugs.
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
25. Repeated use of many psychoactive drugs can cause , which can speed up the
rate of biotransformation of these drugs as well as others.
a. drug competition
b. enzyme inhibition
c. enzyme induction
d. tolerance
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
26. Due to , antidepressants known as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs)
can cause cardiac arrhythmias and high blood pressure in patients that consume foods
high in tyramine.
a. sensitization
b. tolerance
c. drug competition
d. enzyme inhibition
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Pharmacokinetic Factors Determining Drug Action
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