NUR 210 | PRINCIPLES OF
PHARMACOLOGY | EXAM 1 STUDY
GUIDE 2026
1. A patient is prescribed a medication that undergoes a high first-pass effect. Which route of
administration would be most likely to result in the lowest bioavailability of this drug?
A. Intravenous
B. Sublingual
C. Intramuscular
D. Oral
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when a drug is metabolized by the
liver before it reaches systemic circulation. Oral medications pass through the portal vein
to the liver first, significantly reducing bioavailability compared to parenteral or sublingual
routes.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is primarily affected in a patient with a glomerular
filtration rate (GFR) of 30 mL/min?
A. Excretion
,B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Absorption
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Excretion is primarily managed by the kidneys. A low GFR
indicates impaired renal function, which directly impacts the body’s ability to eliminate
drugs and their metabolites.
3. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a dose of 400 mg is administered at 08:00, how much of
the drug will remain in the patient’s system at 20:00?
A. 100 mg
B. 25 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 200 mg
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: From 08:00 to 20:00 is 12 hours, which equals 3 half-lives
(12/4). After 1 half-life: 200mg; after 2: 100mg; after 3: 50mg.
4. When a drug binds to a receptor and produces a maximal biological response, it is
categorized as a(n):
A. Agonist
, B. Partial agonist
C. Antagonist
D. Inverse agonist
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and activates it to
produce a physiological response. Antagonists block responses.
5. A nurse is reviewing a patient’s albumin levels. Why is this important for pharmacological
assessment?
A. Albumin determines the rate of gastric emptying.
B. High albumin levels accelerate renal excretion.
C. Albumin is the primary enzyme for drug metabolism in the liver.
D. Low albumin increases the risk of drug toxicity for highly protein-bound drugs.
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Highly protein-bound drugs compete for albumin binding sites.
If albumin is low, more ‘free’ (active) drug remains in the blood, increasing the risk of
toxicity.
6. Which phase of the nursing process involves the nurse determining if the medication
administered achieved the desired therapeutic effect?
A. Assessment
PHARMACOLOGY | EXAM 1 STUDY
GUIDE 2026
1. A patient is prescribed a medication that undergoes a high first-pass effect. Which route of
administration would be most likely to result in the lowest bioavailability of this drug?
A. Intravenous
B. Sublingual
C. Intramuscular
D. Oral
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: The first-pass effect occurs when a drug is metabolized by the
liver before it reaches systemic circulation. Oral medications pass through the portal vein
to the liver first, significantly reducing bioavailability compared to parenteral or sublingual
routes.
2. Which pharmacokinetic process is primarily affected in a patient with a glomerular
filtration rate (GFR) of 30 mL/min?
A. Excretion
,B. Distribution
C. Metabolism
D. Absorption
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: Excretion is primarily managed by the kidneys. A low GFR
indicates impaired renal function, which directly impacts the body’s ability to eliminate
drugs and their metabolites.
3. A drug has a half-life of 4 hours. If a dose of 400 mg is administered at 08:00, how much of
the drug will remain in the patient’s system at 20:00?
A. 100 mg
B. 25 mg
C. 50 mg
D. 200 mg
Answer: C
Conceptual Explanation: From 08:00 to 20:00 is 12 hours, which equals 3 half-lives
(12/4). After 1 half-life: 200mg; after 2: 100mg; after 3: 50mg.
4. When a drug binds to a receptor and produces a maximal biological response, it is
categorized as a(n):
A. Agonist
, B. Partial agonist
C. Antagonist
D. Inverse agonist
Answer: A
Conceptual Explanation: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and activates it to
produce a physiological response. Antagonists block responses.
5. A nurse is reviewing a patient’s albumin levels. Why is this important for pharmacological
assessment?
A. Albumin determines the rate of gastric emptying.
B. High albumin levels accelerate renal excretion.
C. Albumin is the primary enzyme for drug metabolism in the liver.
D. Low albumin increases the risk of drug toxicity for highly protein-bound drugs.
Answer: D
Conceptual Explanation: Highly protein-bound drugs compete for albumin binding sites.
If albumin is low, more ‘free’ (active) drug remains in the blood, increasing the risk of
toxicity.
6. Which phase of the nursing process involves the nurse determining if the medication
administered achieved the desired therapeutic effect?
A. Assessment
