,NUR210/NUR 210 Exam 1 | Principles of Pharmacology
| Galen College | Q & A | 2026/2027 Edition (PDF)
**1. Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug"?**
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, encompassing
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics, in contrast, is "what
the drug does to the body." Pharmacotherapeutics deals with the clinical use of drugs, and toxicology
focuses on the adverse effects of chemicals.
**2. The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves:**
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase of drug action, where the solid drug must dissolve
into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine. The
pharmacokinetic phase covers absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
**3. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):**
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
,C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An antagonist blocks the
receptor and produces no response. A partial agonist produces a weaker response than a full agonist,
and a competitive antagonist competes with the agonist for receptor binding.
**4. A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:**
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before it reaches
systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available to produce a therapeutic effect.
This is why intravenous drugs have 100% bioavailability.
**5. A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?**
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: Intravenous
, Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing
absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral drugs undergo first-pass
metabolism and have less than 100% bioavailability.
**6. The nurse is preparing to administer a drug that has a narrow therapeutic index. Which of the
following is the most important nursing action?**
A) Administer the drug with food
B) Monitor the patient's serum drug levels
C) Encourage the patient to drink plenty of fluids
D) Assess the patient's pain level
Correct Answer: Monitor the patient's serum drug levels
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., lithium, digoxin, warfarin, phenytoin) have a
small margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Therapeutic drug monitoring is essential to ensure
the drug level stays within the therapeutic range and to prevent toxicity.
**7. The nurse is administering a medication that is highly protein-bound. Which statement about
protein binding is correct?**
A) Protein-bound drugs are active and produce therapeutic effects
B) Only free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic effect
C) Protein-bound drugs are excreted rapidly by the kidneys
D) Protein binding increases drug absorption
Correct Answer: Only free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic effect
Rationale: Drugs bind to plasma proteins, primarily albumin. The bound portion is inactive and cannot
leave the bloodstream to reach target tissues. Only the free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic
effect.
**8. A patient is prescribed a drug that is a CYP450 enzyme inhibitor. The nurse understands that this
drug may:**
| Galen College | Q & A | 2026/2027 Edition (PDF)
**1. Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug"?**
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body, encompassing
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME). Pharmacodynamics, in contrast, is "what
the drug does to the body." Pharmacotherapeutics deals with the clinical use of drugs, and toxicology
focuses on the adverse effects of chemicals.
**2. The nurse understands that the pharmaceutic phase of drug action involves:**
A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutic phase is the first phase of drug action, where the solid drug must dissolve
into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small intestine. The
pharmacokinetic phase covers absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
**3. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):**
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
,C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An antagonist blocks the
receptor and produces no response. A partial agonist produces a weaker response than a full agonist,
and a competitive antagonist competes with the agonist for receptor binding.
**4. A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:**
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before it reaches
systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available to produce a therapeutic effect.
This is why intravenous drugs have 100% bioavailability.
**5. A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?**
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: Intravenous
, Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream, bypassing
absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability. Oral drugs undergo first-pass
metabolism and have less than 100% bioavailability.
**6. The nurse is preparing to administer a drug that has a narrow therapeutic index. Which of the
following is the most important nursing action?**
A) Administer the drug with food
B) Monitor the patient's serum drug levels
C) Encourage the patient to drink plenty of fluids
D) Assess the patient's pain level
Correct Answer: Monitor the patient's serum drug levels
Rationale: Drugs with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., lithium, digoxin, warfarin, phenytoin) have a
small margin between therapeutic and toxic doses. Therapeutic drug monitoring is essential to ensure
the drug level stays within the therapeutic range and to prevent toxicity.
**7. The nurse is administering a medication that is highly protein-bound. Which statement about
protein binding is correct?**
A) Protein-bound drugs are active and produce therapeutic effects
B) Only free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic effect
C) Protein-bound drugs are excreted rapidly by the kidneys
D) Protein binding increases drug absorption
Correct Answer: Only free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic effect
Rationale: Drugs bind to plasma proteins, primarily albumin. The bound portion is inactive and cannot
leave the bloodstream to reach target tissues. Only the free (unbound) drug produces a therapeutic
effect.
**8. A patient is prescribed a drug that is a CYP450 enzyme inhibitor. The nurse understands that this
drug may:**
