NSG 520 Pathophysiology and
Pharmacology
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026-2027)
271 Q&A
What is the mechanism of action of interferon alfa?
Interferon alfa has multiple effects on the viral replication cycle. After binding
to receptors on host cell membranes, the drug blocks viral entry into cells,
synthesis of viral messenger RNA and viral proteins, and viral assembly and
release.
All of the interferons used for hepatitis belong to what class?
Alpha
Interferon alpha can cause liver failure.
False
Interferon alpha is available orally
False
The incidence of side effects when taking interfere on alpha diminish
with continued therapy.
True
,Prolonged or high dose therapy of interferon alpha can cause which of
the following? Select all that apply.
Thyroid dysfunction
Heart damage
Bone marrow suppression
Patients taking interferon alpha who experience depression may
respond to anti-depressant medication.
True
Protease inhibitors are also known as direct acting antivirals.
True
The nurse is preparing to administer interferon alfa. Which of the
following are true regarding this drug? Select all that apply.
Neuropsychiatric adverse effect risk
Interrupts viral replication cycle
Monitor injection site closely for reaction
The side effects of alpha interferons include which of the following?
Select all that apply.
Depression
Leukopenia
Flu-like syndrome
The flu-like syndrome side effect caused by interferon alpha may be
treated with acetaminophen
True
Interferon alpha frequently causes neuropsychiatric side effects
especially
,Depression
Which of the following is accurate about the neuropsychiatric side
effects of interferon alpha therapy? Select all that apply.
Depression is common with large doses and prolonged treatment
Reduction of interfere on alpha dose may be indicated with persistent
depression
Depression response to anti-depressant drugs in many patients
Oral ribavirin combined with an interferon alpha greatly improves
response rates during therapy.
True
The nurse is preparing to administer interferon alfa. Which of the
following are true regarding this drug? Select all that apply.
Most common adverse effects are a flu-like syndrome
Monitor injection site closely for reaction
Neuropsychiatric adverse effect risk
Oral ribavirin [Rebetol, Ribasphere, Copegus], combined with
subcutaneous peginterferon alfa, is the traditional treatment of choice
for hepatitis C virus infection.
True
The most common side effects of all formulations of interferon alpha
include which of the following? Select all that apply.
Fever
Myalgia
Headache
Neuropsychiatric effects
Selective toxicity is defined as the ability of a drug to injure a target cell
or target organism without injuring other cells or organisms that are in
intimate contact with the target. As applied to antimicrobial drugs,
, selective toxicity indicates the ability of an antibiotic to kill or suppress
microbial pathogens without causing injury to the host. Selective
toxicity is the property that makes antibiotics valuable. If it were not for
selective toxicity—that is, if antibiotics were as harmful to the host as
they are to infecting organisms—these drugs would have no therapeutic
utility.
True
Antibiotics differ widely in their antimicrobial activity. Some agents,
called narrow-spectrum antibiotics, are active against only a few species
of microorganisms. In contrast, broad-spectrum antibiotics are active
against a wide variety of microbes. As discussed later in the
section, narrow-spectrum drugs are generally preferred to broad-
spectrum drugs.
The table shows three major groups: antibacterial drugs, antifungal
drugs, and antiviral drugs. In addition, the table subdivides the
antibacterial drugs into narrow-spectrum and broad-spectrum agents
and indicates the principal classes of bacteria against which they are
active.
True
Microbial Mechanisms of Drug Resistance
Microbes have four basic mechanisms for resisting drugs. They can (1)
decrease the concentration of a drug at its site of action, (2) alter the
structure of drug target molecules, (3) produce a drug antagonist, and
(4) cause drug inactivation.
True
Because broad-spectrum antibiotics kill off more normal flora than do
narrow-spectrum drugs, superinfections are more likely in patients
receiving broad-spectrum agents. Because superinfections are caused
by drug-resistant microbes, these infections are often difficult to treat.
True
Antimicrobial drug can best be defined as?
Any agent that has the ability to kill or suppress micro organisms
Pharmacology
-exam elaborations with 100% verified answer/solutions-
Excel & Succeed - academic year (2026-2027)
271 Q&A
What is the mechanism of action of interferon alfa?
Interferon alfa has multiple effects on the viral replication cycle. After binding
to receptors on host cell membranes, the drug blocks viral entry into cells,
synthesis of viral messenger RNA and viral proteins, and viral assembly and
release.
All of the interferons used for hepatitis belong to what class?
Alpha
Interferon alpha can cause liver failure.
False
Interferon alpha is available orally
False
The incidence of side effects when taking interfere on alpha diminish
with continued therapy.
True
,Prolonged or high dose therapy of interferon alpha can cause which of
the following? Select all that apply.
Thyroid dysfunction
Heart damage
Bone marrow suppression
Patients taking interferon alpha who experience depression may
respond to anti-depressant medication.
True
Protease inhibitors are also known as direct acting antivirals.
True
The nurse is preparing to administer interferon alfa. Which of the
following are true regarding this drug? Select all that apply.
Neuropsychiatric adverse effect risk
Interrupts viral replication cycle
Monitor injection site closely for reaction
The side effects of alpha interferons include which of the following?
Select all that apply.
Depression
Leukopenia
Flu-like syndrome
The flu-like syndrome side effect caused by interferon alpha may be
treated with acetaminophen
True
Interferon alpha frequently causes neuropsychiatric side effects
especially
,Depression
Which of the following is accurate about the neuropsychiatric side
effects of interferon alpha therapy? Select all that apply.
Depression is common with large doses and prolonged treatment
Reduction of interfere on alpha dose may be indicated with persistent
depression
Depression response to anti-depressant drugs in many patients
Oral ribavirin combined with an interferon alpha greatly improves
response rates during therapy.
True
The nurse is preparing to administer interferon alfa. Which of the
following are true regarding this drug? Select all that apply.
Most common adverse effects are a flu-like syndrome
Monitor injection site closely for reaction
Neuropsychiatric adverse effect risk
Oral ribavirin [Rebetol, Ribasphere, Copegus], combined with
subcutaneous peginterferon alfa, is the traditional treatment of choice
for hepatitis C virus infection.
True
The most common side effects of all formulations of interferon alpha
include which of the following? Select all that apply.
Fever
Myalgia
Headache
Neuropsychiatric effects
Selective toxicity is defined as the ability of a drug to injure a target cell
or target organism without injuring other cells or organisms that are in
intimate contact with the target. As applied to antimicrobial drugs,
, selective toxicity indicates the ability of an antibiotic to kill or suppress
microbial pathogens without causing injury to the host. Selective
toxicity is the property that makes antibiotics valuable. If it were not for
selective toxicity—that is, if antibiotics were as harmful to the host as
they are to infecting organisms—these drugs would have no therapeutic
utility.
True
Antibiotics differ widely in their antimicrobial activity. Some agents,
called narrow-spectrum antibiotics, are active against only a few species
of microorganisms. In contrast, broad-spectrum antibiotics are active
against a wide variety of microbes. As discussed later in the
section, narrow-spectrum drugs are generally preferred to broad-
spectrum drugs.
The table shows three major groups: antibacterial drugs, antifungal
drugs, and antiviral drugs. In addition, the table subdivides the
antibacterial drugs into narrow-spectrum and broad-spectrum agents
and indicates the principal classes of bacteria against which they are
active.
True
Microbial Mechanisms of Drug Resistance
Microbes have four basic mechanisms for resisting drugs. They can (1)
decrease the concentration of a drug at its site of action, (2) alter the
structure of drug target molecules, (3) produce a drug antagonist, and
(4) cause drug inactivation.
True
Because broad-spectrum antibiotics kill off more normal flora than do
narrow-spectrum drugs, superinfections are more likely in patients
receiving broad-spectrum agents. Because superinfections are caused
by drug-resistant microbes, these infections are often difficult to treat.
True
Antimicrobial drug can best be defined as?
Any agent that has the ability to kill or suppress micro organisms
