NURS 5334 Advanced Pharmacology Comprehensive Final Exam verified with
correct answers plus rationales 2026/2027 version
1. Which pharmacokinetic process describes movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Elimination
Answer: A. Absorption
Rationale: Absorption is the movement of a drug from its administration site into the systemic
circulation.
2. Which route of medication administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intravenous
D. Intramuscular
Answer: C. Intravenous
Rationale: IV administration places the drug directly into the systemic circulation, resulting in
complete bioavailability.
3. What is bioavailability?
A. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches systemic circulation unchanged
B. The rate of renal drug excretion
C. The amount of drug bound to plasma proteins
D. The time required for a drug to produce an effect
Answer: A. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged
Rationale: Bioavailability reflects how much of the administered dose reaches systemic
circulation in active form.
,4. Which pharmacokinetic process primarily occurs in the liver?
A. Absorption
B. Metabolism
C. Distribution
D. Filtration
Answer: B. Metabolism
Rationale: The liver is the major site of drug metabolism, particularly through the cytochrome
P450 enzyme system.
5. Which organ is primarily responsible for drug elimination?
A. Kidney
B. Spleen
C. Pancreas
D. Thyroid
Answer: A. Kidney
Rationale: The kidneys eliminate many drugs and metabolites through glomerular filtration,
tubular secretion, and reabsorption.
6. What is a drug's half-life?
A. Time required for the drug to reach its maximum effect
B. Time required for plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
C. Time required for complete elimination
D. Time required for absorption
Answer: B. Time required for plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
Rationale: Half-life describes the time needed for the concentration of a drug in plasma to
decline by one-half.
7. A medication has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how much remains
after 16 hours?
,A. 75%
B. 50%
C. 25%
D. 10%
Answer: C. 25%
Rationale: After one half-life, 50% remains; after two half-lives, 25% remains.
8. What is the therapeutic index used to describe?
A. Drug absorption rate
B. Relative margin between therapeutic and toxic doses
C. Duration of drug action
D. Protein binding
Answer: B. Relative margin between therapeutic and toxic doses
Rationale: The therapeutic index provides an indication of a drug's safety margin.
9. Which type of drug interaction occurs when one medication alters the effect of
another medication?
A. Pharmacologic drug interaction
B. Genetic mutation
C. Placebo effect
D. Tolerance
Answer: A. Pharmacologic drug interaction
Rationale: Drug interactions may alter pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics and increase or
decrease therapeutic or adverse effects.
10. What is a pharmacodynamic interaction?
A. One drug changes the absorption of another
B. One drug changes the physiological effect of another
C. One drug changes renal excretion only
D. One drug changes gastrointestinal pH only
, Answer: B. One drug changes the physiological effect of another
Rationale: Pharmacodynamic interactions occur when drugs influence the same physiologic
pathway or receptor-related effect.
11. Which medication is a beta-adrenergic blocker?
A. Metoprolol
B. Lisinopril
C. Amlodipine
D. Losartan
Answer: A. Metoprolol
Rationale: Metoprolol is a beta-1 selective adrenergic blocker commonly used for hypertension,
angina, and certain cardiac conditions.
12. Which parameter is most important to assess before administering
metoprolol?
A. Heart rate
B. Temperature
C. Respiratory rate only
D. Blood glucose only
Answer: A. Heart rate
Rationale: Beta blockers can cause bradycardia. Heart rate and blood pressure should be
assessed before administration.
13. Which adverse effect is associated with beta blockers?
A. Bradycardia
B. Severe hyperglycemia in every patient
C. Increased heart rate
D. Hyperactivity
Answer: A. Bradycardia
correct answers plus rationales 2026/2027 version
1. Which pharmacokinetic process describes movement of a drug from the site of
administration into systemic circulation?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Elimination
Answer: A. Absorption
Rationale: Absorption is the movement of a drug from its administration site into the systemic
circulation.
2. Which route of medication administration provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Subcutaneous
C. Intravenous
D. Intramuscular
Answer: C. Intravenous
Rationale: IV administration places the drug directly into the systemic circulation, resulting in
complete bioavailability.
3. What is bioavailability?
A. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches systemic circulation unchanged
B. The rate of renal drug excretion
C. The amount of drug bound to plasma proteins
D. The time required for a drug to produce an effect
Answer: A. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches systemic circulation
unchanged
Rationale: Bioavailability reflects how much of the administered dose reaches systemic
circulation in active form.
,4. Which pharmacokinetic process primarily occurs in the liver?
A. Absorption
B. Metabolism
C. Distribution
D. Filtration
Answer: B. Metabolism
Rationale: The liver is the major site of drug metabolism, particularly through the cytochrome
P450 enzyme system.
5. Which organ is primarily responsible for drug elimination?
A. Kidney
B. Spleen
C. Pancreas
D. Thyroid
Answer: A. Kidney
Rationale: The kidneys eliminate many drugs and metabolites through glomerular filtration,
tubular secretion, and reabsorption.
6. What is a drug's half-life?
A. Time required for the drug to reach its maximum effect
B. Time required for plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
C. Time required for complete elimination
D. Time required for absorption
Answer: B. Time required for plasma concentration to decrease by 50%
Rationale: Half-life describes the time needed for the concentration of a drug in plasma to
decline by one-half.
7. A medication has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how much remains
after 16 hours?
,A. 75%
B. 50%
C. 25%
D. 10%
Answer: C. 25%
Rationale: After one half-life, 50% remains; after two half-lives, 25% remains.
8. What is the therapeutic index used to describe?
A. Drug absorption rate
B. Relative margin between therapeutic and toxic doses
C. Duration of drug action
D. Protein binding
Answer: B. Relative margin between therapeutic and toxic doses
Rationale: The therapeutic index provides an indication of a drug's safety margin.
9. Which type of drug interaction occurs when one medication alters the effect of
another medication?
A. Pharmacologic drug interaction
B. Genetic mutation
C. Placebo effect
D. Tolerance
Answer: A. Pharmacologic drug interaction
Rationale: Drug interactions may alter pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics and increase or
decrease therapeutic or adverse effects.
10. What is a pharmacodynamic interaction?
A. One drug changes the absorption of another
B. One drug changes the physiological effect of another
C. One drug changes renal excretion only
D. One drug changes gastrointestinal pH only
, Answer: B. One drug changes the physiological effect of another
Rationale: Pharmacodynamic interactions occur when drugs influence the same physiologic
pathway or receptor-related effect.
11. Which medication is a beta-adrenergic blocker?
A. Metoprolol
B. Lisinopril
C. Amlodipine
D. Losartan
Answer: A. Metoprolol
Rationale: Metoprolol is a beta-1 selective adrenergic blocker commonly used for hypertension,
angina, and certain cardiac conditions.
12. Which parameter is most important to assess before administering
metoprolol?
A. Heart rate
B. Temperature
C. Respiratory rate only
D. Blood glucose only
Answer: A. Heart rate
Rationale: Beta blockers can cause bradycardia. Heart rate and blood pressure should be
assessed before administration.
13. Which adverse effect is associated with beta blockers?
A. Bradycardia
B. Severe hyperglycemia in every patient
C. Increased heart rate
D. Hyperactivity
Answer: A. Bradycardia
