NURS 8024 PHARM TEST 1 SG |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026
UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS.
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS AND
PHARMACODYNAMICS
Question 1
Pharmacokinetics is defined as:
A) The study of drug effects on the body
B) The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs
C) The study of drug toxicity
D) The study of genetic variations in drug response
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics involves ADME—what the body does to the drug. It
encompasses absorption (entry into plasma), distribution (movement to
interstitial/intracellular fluids), metabolism (biotransformation primarily in the liver), and
elimination (removal from the body) .
Question 2
,Pharmacodynamics is defined as:
A) The study of drug movement in the body
B) The study of the actions of the chemical on the organism
C) The study of drug absorption
D) The study of drug excretion
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes what the drug does to the body—the
biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs, including receptor binding, mechanisms of
action, and dose-response relationships .
Question 3
What does ADME stand for?
A) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
D) Administration, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
Rationale: ADME represents the four fundamental pathways of pharmacokinetics:
Absorption (entry into plasma), Distribution (leaves bloodstream to
interstitial/intracellular fluids), Metabolism (biotransformation via liver, kidney, or other
tissues), and Excretion (elimination from the body) .
Question 4
Which of the following is the best definition of a pro-drug?
A) A drug that is active immediately upon administration
B) An inactive precursor chemical that must be converted to the active form
C) A drug that is always administered intravenously
D) A drug that has no side effects
Rationale: A pro-drug is an inactive precursor chemical that must be absorbed,
distributed, and converted to the active form of the drug by biologic processes.
, Examples include enalapril (converted to enalaprilat) and codeine (converted to
morphine) .
Question 5
Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by first-pass metabolism?
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Rationale: First-pass metabolism reduces the bioavailability of orally administered
drugs by metabolizing a significant portion before they reach systemic circulation. The
drug is absorbed from the GI tract → enters portal circulation → is filtered through the
liver → reduced amount of unchanged drug enters systemic circulation .
Question 6
What is bioavailability?
A) The total amount of drug administered
B) The fraction of chemically unchanged drug that reaches systemic circulation
C) The rate at which a drug is absorbed
D) The volume of distribution of a drug
Rationale: Bioavailability is the fraction of chemically unchanged drug that reaches
systemic circulation. It is influenced by first-pass metabolism, solubility, chemical
instability, and the nature of the drug formulation. IV administration provides 100%
bioavailability because it bypasses all absorption barriers .
Question 7
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026
UPDATE | WITH COMPLETE
SOLUTIONS.
SECTION 1: PHARMACOKINETICS AND
PHARMACODYNAMICS
Question 1
Pharmacokinetics is defined as:
A) The study of drug effects on the body
B) The study of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination of drugs
C) The study of drug toxicity
D) The study of genetic variations in drug response
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics involves ADME—what the body does to the drug. It
encompasses absorption (entry into plasma), distribution (movement to
interstitial/intracellular fluids), metabolism (biotransformation primarily in the liver), and
elimination (removal from the body) .
Question 2
,Pharmacodynamics is defined as:
A) The study of drug movement in the body
B) The study of the actions of the chemical on the organism
C) The study of drug absorption
D) The study of drug excretion
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics describes what the drug does to the body—the
biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs, including receptor binding, mechanisms of
action, and dose-response relationships .
Question 3
What does ADME stand for?
A) Administration, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
D) Administration, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
Rationale: ADME represents the four fundamental pathways of pharmacokinetics:
Absorption (entry into plasma), Distribution (leaves bloodstream to
interstitial/intracellular fluids), Metabolism (biotransformation via liver, kidney, or other
tissues), and Excretion (elimination from the body) .
Question 4
Which of the following is the best definition of a pro-drug?
A) A drug that is active immediately upon administration
B) An inactive precursor chemical that must be converted to the active form
C) A drug that is always administered intravenously
D) A drug that has no side effects
Rationale: A pro-drug is an inactive precursor chemical that must be absorbed,
distributed, and converted to the active form of the drug by biologic processes.
, Examples include enalapril (converted to enalaprilat) and codeine (converted to
morphine) .
Question 5
Which pharmacokinetic process is most affected by first-pass metabolism?
A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
Rationale: First-pass metabolism reduces the bioavailability of orally administered
drugs by metabolizing a significant portion before they reach systemic circulation. The
drug is absorbed from the GI tract → enters portal circulation → is filtered through the
liver → reduced amount of unchanged drug enters systemic circulation .
Question 6
What is bioavailability?
A) The total amount of drug administered
B) The fraction of chemically unchanged drug that reaches systemic circulation
C) The rate at which a drug is absorbed
D) The volume of distribution of a drug
Rationale: Bioavailability is the fraction of chemically unchanged drug that reaches
systemic circulation. It is influenced by first-pass metabolism, solubility, chemical
instability, and the nature of the drug formulation. IV administration provides 100%
bioavailability because it bypasses all absorption barriers .
Question 7
