ABCP Review Basic Science: Pharmacology
(WIP) Exam Comprehensive Questions and
Answers | A+ Graded | With Expert Solutions
Q: Differentiate pharmacokinetics from pharmacodynamics.
Answer: Pharmacodynamics is the study of what the drug does to the body
- Governs the concentration-effect part of the interaction
Q: Pharmacokinetics is what the body does to the drug
- Governs the dosage-concentration part of the interaction
Q: What factors influence the extent of pharmacokinetic absorption?
Answer: Strongly influenced by chemical solubility of the drug compound
Q: Route of administration
Q: Physiochemical properties of the drug
Q: Surface area available for absorption
Q: What happens with pharmacokinetic distribution?
Answer: Occurs after absorption into blood stream
Q: Agents may be modified during distribution
- Biotransformed or inactivated
- Excreted without chemical change
- Distributed to non-target areas
- Bind to plasma proteins
Q: Define the first pass effect.
Answer: Metabolism of a drug and its passage from the liver into the circulation
Drug given orally may be extensively metabolized by the liver before reaching the systemic
circulation (high first-pass effect)
Same drug given IV bypasses the liver, preventing the first-pass effect from taking place, and more
drug reaches the circulation
Q: Describe pharmacokinetic elimination.
Answer: Excretion/clearance
Q: Terminates drug effect
Q: Most often via the kidney
- Renal function impairment could prolong drug action or promote drug toxicity
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,Q: Can occur via other routes
- Inhalation agents via the lungs
- Skin via sweat
- Bowels
Q: What are some effects of hypothermia on drug action?
Answer: Hypothermia slows metabolism of drugs
Q: Clearance of drugs has been shown to be reduced
- Propofol
- Fentanyl
- Morphine
- Midazolam
- Rocuronium
- Vecuronium
Q: What are some effects of hemodilution on drug concentration?
Answer: Hemodilution occurring at institution of CPB decreases circulating drug concentration
Q: Eventual plasma concentration of drug depends on:
- Plasma protein binding
- Original volume of distribution
- Extent of equilibration between tissue and plasma at time of institution of CPB
Q: What are the effects of hemoconcentration on drug concentrations?
Answer: Main determinant of passage through the hemofilter membrane is molecular weight
Most drugs used on CPB have MW well below the pore size of 55-65kDa
THEREFORE most essential factor to consider is percentage of that drug that is bound to plasma
proteins
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "drug".
Answer: Defined as a substance that brings about a change in biological function through its
chemical action
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "receptor".
Answer: A specific molecule that the drug may interact with that plays a regulatory role.
Q: What factors influence drug-receptor relations?
Answer: The ability of a drug to bind to its receptor is mediated by the chemical structure of the
drug that allows it to interact with the surface or receptor
Q: In order to interact with its receptor, a drug must have the appropriate
- Size
- Electric charge
- Shape
Page 2
, - Atomic composition
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "agonist".
Answer: Activates the receptor
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "antagonist".
Answer: Blocks the receptor
Q: Describe competitive antagonists.
Answer: Binds in reversible manner
Agonists may overcome these antagonists if given in high enough concentration by displacing the
antagonist from the receptor
Q: Describe irreversible antagonists.
Answer: Bind and become covalently bonded to receptor
Q: Antagonistic blocking activity cannot be overcome by increasing agonist
concentration
Q: What two factors determine the effect of a drug on physiologic processes? Define
these.
Answer: Affinity
- Measure of the tightness that a drug binds to the receptor
Q: Intrinsic activity
- Measure of the ability oof a drug, once bound to the receptor, to generate an effect activating
stimulus and producing a change in cellular activity
Q: Describe a covalent bond.
Answer: Strong chemical bond between atoms
Q: May be irreversible
Q: Describe an electrostatic bond.
Answer: More common and weaker than covalent bond
Q: Strong linkages between ionic bonds
Q: Van Der Waals forces
Q: Describe a hydrophobic bond.
Answer: Weakest bond
Q: Important with lipid-soluble drugs
Q: What are some strong agonists of the opioid class of drugs?
Answer: Morphine (naturally occurring)
Q: Fentanyl, sufentanil, remifentanil (synthetic)
Q: Heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, oxycodone, methadone
Page 3
(WIP) Exam Comprehensive Questions and
Answers | A+ Graded | With Expert Solutions
Q: Differentiate pharmacokinetics from pharmacodynamics.
Answer: Pharmacodynamics is the study of what the drug does to the body
- Governs the concentration-effect part of the interaction
Q: Pharmacokinetics is what the body does to the drug
- Governs the dosage-concentration part of the interaction
Q: What factors influence the extent of pharmacokinetic absorption?
Answer: Strongly influenced by chemical solubility of the drug compound
Q: Route of administration
Q: Physiochemical properties of the drug
Q: Surface area available for absorption
Q: What happens with pharmacokinetic distribution?
Answer: Occurs after absorption into blood stream
Q: Agents may be modified during distribution
- Biotransformed or inactivated
- Excreted without chemical change
- Distributed to non-target areas
- Bind to plasma proteins
Q: Define the first pass effect.
Answer: Metabolism of a drug and its passage from the liver into the circulation
Drug given orally may be extensively metabolized by the liver before reaching the systemic
circulation (high first-pass effect)
Same drug given IV bypasses the liver, preventing the first-pass effect from taking place, and more
drug reaches the circulation
Q: Describe pharmacokinetic elimination.
Answer: Excretion/clearance
Q: Terminates drug effect
Q: Most often via the kidney
- Renal function impairment could prolong drug action or promote drug toxicity
Page 1
,Q: Can occur via other routes
- Inhalation agents via the lungs
- Skin via sweat
- Bowels
Q: What are some effects of hypothermia on drug action?
Answer: Hypothermia slows metabolism of drugs
Q: Clearance of drugs has been shown to be reduced
- Propofol
- Fentanyl
- Morphine
- Midazolam
- Rocuronium
- Vecuronium
Q: What are some effects of hemodilution on drug concentration?
Answer: Hemodilution occurring at institution of CPB decreases circulating drug concentration
Q: Eventual plasma concentration of drug depends on:
- Plasma protein binding
- Original volume of distribution
- Extent of equilibration between tissue and plasma at time of institution of CPB
Q: What are the effects of hemoconcentration on drug concentrations?
Answer: Main determinant of passage through the hemofilter membrane is molecular weight
Most drugs used on CPB have MW well below the pore size of 55-65kDa
THEREFORE most essential factor to consider is percentage of that drug that is bound to plasma
proteins
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "drug".
Answer: Defined as a substance that brings about a change in biological function through its
chemical action
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "receptor".
Answer: A specific molecule that the drug may interact with that plays a regulatory role.
Q: What factors influence drug-receptor relations?
Answer: The ability of a drug to bind to its receptor is mediated by the chemical structure of the
drug that allows it to interact with the surface or receptor
Q: In order to interact with its receptor, a drug must have the appropriate
- Size
- Electric charge
- Shape
Page 2
, - Atomic composition
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "agonist".
Answer: Activates the receptor
Q: Give the pharmacology definition of "antagonist".
Answer: Blocks the receptor
Q: Describe competitive antagonists.
Answer: Binds in reversible manner
Agonists may overcome these antagonists if given in high enough concentration by displacing the
antagonist from the receptor
Q: Describe irreversible antagonists.
Answer: Bind and become covalently bonded to receptor
Q: Antagonistic blocking activity cannot be overcome by increasing agonist
concentration
Q: What two factors determine the effect of a drug on physiologic processes? Define
these.
Answer: Affinity
- Measure of the tightness that a drug binds to the receptor
Q: Intrinsic activity
- Measure of the ability oof a drug, once bound to the receptor, to generate an effect activating
stimulus and producing a change in cellular activity
Q: Describe a covalent bond.
Answer: Strong chemical bond between atoms
Q: May be irreversible
Q: Describe an electrostatic bond.
Answer: More common and weaker than covalent bond
Q: Strong linkages between ionic bonds
Q: Van Der Waals forces
Q: Describe a hydrophobic bond.
Answer: Weakest bond
Q: Important with lipid-soluble drugs
Q: What are some strong agonists of the opioid class of drugs?
Answer: Morphine (naturally occurring)
Q: Fentanyl, sufentanil, remifentanil (synthetic)
Q: Heroin, hydrocodone, hydromorphone, meperidine, oxycodone, methadone
Page 3
