Pharmacology Exam 1 — Comprehensive Study Guide
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1
Comprehensive Multiple-Choice Study Guide
Pharmacokinetics · Autonomic Pharmacology · Analgesics · Anesthesia · CNS Drugs · Parkinson's
Disease
About This Study Guide
This document contains 100 multiple-choice questions covering all core pharmacology concepts tested on
Exam 1. Each question is presented with all answer options clearly listed, followed by the correct answer
highlighted in green. Topics covered include:
• Basic Pharmacology Principles: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug nomenclature, adverse
reactions, half-life calculations, and FDA pregnancy categories
• Autonomic Pharmacology: adrenergic & cholinergic agonists/antagonists, receptor subtypes (alpha, beta,
muscarinic, nicotinic), and clinical drug applications
• Neuromuscular Pharmacology: depolarizing/nondepolarizing blocking agents, centrally acting skeletal muscle
relaxants, and neurotransmitter release mechanisms
• Opioid Analgesics & Anesthesia: opioid mechanisms, receptor types, tolerance, balanced anesthesia
strategies, propofol, ketamine, etomidate, and adjunct agents
• CNS Pharmacology: hypnotics/sedatives (barbiturates, benzodiazepines, non-BZD agents), antidepressants
(SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, SNRIs), antianxiety drugs, and alcohol
• Parkinson's Disease Pharmacotherapy: levodopa, dopamine agonists, COMT inhibitors, MAO-B inhibitors,
anticholinergic agents, and disease symptom management
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
1. The study of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion is known as
A. pharmacotherapeutics
B. pharmacodynamics
C. pharmacokinetics
D. pharmacy
E. posology
AN C
S:
2. The medical situation when a particular drug should not be administered is referred to as
A. side effect
B. adverse effect
C. drug allergy
D. contraindication
E. antagonism
AN D
S:
3. An unusual or unexpected drug reaction by an individual is known as
A. toxic effect
B. antagonism
C. idiosyncrasy
D. side effect
E. drug allergy
Page 1 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
, Pharmacology Exam 1 — Comprehensive Study Guide
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
AN C
S:
4. The proprietary drug name supplied by a pharmaceutical company is also referred to as
the
A. generic name
B. over-the-counter name
C. trade name
D. chemical name
E. none of these
AN C
S:
5. The time from drug administration to the first observable drug effect is known as the
A. duration of action
B. onset of action
C. ceiling effect
D. maximal response
E. ceiling effect
AN B
S:
6. A drug that has the potential for abuse and is regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency
is classified as a
A. poison
B. OTC drug
C. prescription drug
D. controlled substance
E. nonproprietary drug
AN D
S:
7. Select the term that relates to the amount of drug administered to produce a therapeutic
effect.
A. posology
B. toxicology
C. pharmacodynamics
D. pharmacotherapeutics
E. pharmacy
AN A
S:
8. A medication that does not require a physician's service to obtain is referred to as
A. trade
B. nonproprietary
C. nonprescription
D. brand
E. generic
AN C
S:
Page 2 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
, Pharmacology Exam 1 — Comprehensive Study Guide
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
9. Which of the following could be categorized as an adverse reaction?
A. idiosyncrasy
B. drug allergy
C. teratogenicity
D. carcinogenicity
E. all of these
AN E
S:
10. The time a drug continues to produce its effect is its
A. ED50
B. maximal response
C. ceiling effect
D. onset of action
E. duration of action
AN E
S:
11. The drug administration route demonstrating the slowest onset of action is
A. inhalation
B. transdermal
C. intramuscular
D. sublingual
E. intravenous
AN B
S:
12. In order for drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier, they must be
A. ionized
B. positively charged
C. water soluble
D. lipid soluble
E. negatively charged
AN D
S:
13. First-pass metabolism refers to the metabolism of drugs in the
A. kidney
B. blood vessels
C. liver
D. heart
E. adipose tissue
AN C
S:
14. Drug X has a half-life of 6 hours. How much drug is left in the body 18 hours after an IV
injection of 1200 mg?
A. 600 mg
B. 150 mg
Page 3 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1
Comprehensive Multiple-Choice Study Guide
Pharmacokinetics · Autonomic Pharmacology · Analgesics · Anesthesia · CNS Drugs · Parkinson's
Disease
About This Study Guide
This document contains 100 multiple-choice questions covering all core pharmacology concepts tested on
Exam 1. Each question is presented with all answer options clearly listed, followed by the correct answer
highlighted in green. Topics covered include:
• Basic Pharmacology Principles: pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, drug nomenclature, adverse
reactions, half-life calculations, and FDA pregnancy categories
• Autonomic Pharmacology: adrenergic & cholinergic agonists/antagonists, receptor subtypes (alpha, beta,
muscarinic, nicotinic), and clinical drug applications
• Neuromuscular Pharmacology: depolarizing/nondepolarizing blocking agents, centrally acting skeletal muscle
relaxants, and neurotransmitter release mechanisms
• Opioid Analgesics & Anesthesia: opioid mechanisms, receptor types, tolerance, balanced anesthesia
strategies, propofol, ketamine, etomidate, and adjunct agents
• CNS Pharmacology: hypnotics/sedatives (barbiturates, benzodiazepines, non-BZD agents), antidepressants
(SSRIs, TCAs, MAOIs, SNRIs), antianxiety drugs, and alcohol
• Parkinson's Disease Pharmacotherapy: levodopa, dopamine agonists, COMT inhibitors, MAO-B inhibitors,
anticholinergic agents, and disease symptom management
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
1. The study of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion is known as
A. pharmacotherapeutics
B. pharmacodynamics
C. pharmacokinetics
D. pharmacy
E. posology
AN C
S:
2. The medical situation when a particular drug should not be administered is referred to as
A. side effect
B. adverse effect
C. drug allergy
D. contraindication
E. antagonism
AN D
S:
3. An unusual or unexpected drug reaction by an individual is known as
A. toxic effect
B. antagonism
C. idiosyncrasy
D. side effect
E. drug allergy
Page 1 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
, Pharmacology Exam 1 — Comprehensive Study Guide
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
AN C
S:
4. The proprietary drug name supplied by a pharmaceutical company is also referred to as
the
A. generic name
B. over-the-counter name
C. trade name
D. chemical name
E. none of these
AN C
S:
5. The time from drug administration to the first observable drug effect is known as the
A. duration of action
B. onset of action
C. ceiling effect
D. maximal response
E. ceiling effect
AN B
S:
6. A drug that has the potential for abuse and is regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency
is classified as a
A. poison
B. OTC drug
C. prescription drug
D. controlled substance
E. nonproprietary drug
AN D
S:
7. Select the term that relates to the amount of drug administered to produce a therapeutic
effect.
A. posology
B. toxicology
C. pharmacodynamics
D. pharmacotherapeutics
E. pharmacy
AN A
S:
8. A medication that does not require a physician's service to obtain is referred to as
A. trade
B. nonproprietary
C. nonprescription
D. brand
E. generic
AN C
S:
Page 2 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
, Pharmacology Exam 1 — Comprehensive Study Guide
# Question / Answer Options / Correct Answer
9. Which of the following could be categorized as an adverse reaction?
A. idiosyncrasy
B. drug allergy
C. teratogenicity
D. carcinogenicity
E. all of these
AN E
S:
10. The time a drug continues to produce its effect is its
A. ED50
B. maximal response
C. ceiling effect
D. onset of action
E. duration of action
AN E
S:
11. The drug administration route demonstrating the slowest onset of action is
A. inhalation
B. transdermal
C. intramuscular
D. sublingual
E. intravenous
AN B
S:
12. In order for drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier, they must be
A. ionized
B. positively charged
C. water soluble
D. lipid soluble
E. negatively charged
AN D
S:
13. First-pass metabolism refers to the metabolism of drugs in the
A. kidney
B. blood vessels
C. liver
D. heart
E. adipose tissue
AN C
S:
14. Drug X has a half-life of 6 hours. How much drug is left in the body 18 hours after an IV
injection of 1200 mg?
A. 600 mg
B. 150 mg
Page 3 of 19 | Pharmacology Exam 1 — Multiple Choice | 100 Questions
