NR 293 EXAM 1 | COMPREHENSIVE PHARMACOLOGY STUDY GUIDE, PRACTICE
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Chemical name - correct answer ✔✔Describes the drug's chemical composition and molecular structure
Ex: (+/-)-2-(p-isobutylphenyl) propionic acid
Generic name - correct answer ✔✔Nonproprietary name
-Given by the United States Adopted Names Council
-Used in most official drug compendiums to list drugs
Ex: Ibuprofen
Trade name - correct answer ✔✔Proprietary name
-The drug has a registered trademark; use of the name is restricted by the drug's patent owner (usually
the manufacturer)
Ex: Motrin, others
____________ determines the rate of drug dissolution - correct answer ✔✔Dosage form
Drug dissolution - correct answer ✔✔dissolving of solid dosage forms and their absorption from the GI
tract
Fastest drug absorption - correct answer ✔✔Oral disintegration, buccal tablets, oral soluable wafers
Slowest drug absorption - correct answer ✔✔Enteric-coated tablets
Drug absorption from fastest to slowest - correct answer ✔✔-Oral disintegration, buccal tablets, oral
soluable wafers
-Liquids, elixirs, and syrups
-Suspension solutions
-Powders
-Capsules
-Tablets
-Coated tablets
-Enteric-coated tablets
Absorption - correct answer ✔✔Movement of a drug from its site of administration into the blood
stream for distribution to the tissues
Bioavailablitiy - correct answer ✔✔Extent of drug absorption
Medication routes - correct answer ✔✔-Enteral
-Parenteral
-Topical
Enteral - correct answer ✔✔(GI tract)
-orally vs sublingual and buccal routes, G tube
,-First pass effect, variable absorption
Patenteral - correct answer ✔✔-Intravenous (IV)
-Intramuscular (IM)
Intravenous (IV) - correct answer ✔✔Rapid onset
Avoid first pass effect
IV: Nursing considerations - correct answer ✔✔Monitor drug
Check for compatibilities
Monitor IV site
Intramuscular (IM) - correct answer ✔✔Subcutaneously
Topical - correct answer ✔✔Avoid first-pass effect, except rectal administration
-Transdermal
-Topical
Transdermal - correct answer ✔✔Deliver constant amount
Slower onset, prolong duration
Patent life - correct answer ✔✔Length of time from patent approval until patent expiration
-Normally 17 years in newly discovered drug molecule
Biosimilar - correct answer ✔✔Copy version of an already authorized biological product
-New category of the generic drug market
Therapeutic equivalence - correct answer ✔✔One drug in a class of several drugs is chosen as the
preferred agent, even though the drugs do not have the same active ingredients
-In place due to high cost of drugs
-Both drugs have same therapeutic effect on the body
Drug classification - correct answer ✔✔Drugs are grouped together based on their similar properties
-Can be classified by structure or therapeutic use
Three basic areas of pharmacology that describe the relationship between the dose of a drug and the
activity of that drug in treating the disorder - correct answer ✔✔Pharmaceutics
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmaceutics - correct answer ✔✔The study of how various drug forms influence the way in which the
drug affects the body
-Different drug dosage forms have different pharmaceutical properties
Pharmacokinetics - correct answer ✔✔The study of what the body does to the drug
-Involves absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Pharmacodynamics - correct answer ✔✔The study of what the drug does to the body
, -Involves drug-receptor relationships
Pharmacotherapeutics - correct answer ✔✔(Therapeutics)
Focuses on clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases
-Defines the principles of drug actions
Phases of drug activity - correct answer ✔✔Administration
1. Pharmaceutical phase: Disintegration of dosage form; dissolution of drug in body
Drug available for absorption
2. Pharmacokinetic phase: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Drug available for action
3. Pharmacodynamic phase: Drug-receptor interaction
Effect
Off-label prescribing - correct answer ✔✔Use of drugs for non-FDA-approved indications
Toxicology - correct answer ✔✔Study of adverse effects of drugs and other chemicals on living systems
Toxic effects - correct answer ✔✔Often an extension of a drug's therapeutic action.
Pharmacognosy - correct answer ✔✔The study of natural drug sources
(plants, animals, minerals)
Oral drugs - correct answer ✔✔May be in solid form:
-Tablet
-Capsule
-Powder
May be liquid form:
-Solution
-Suspension
Liquid oral drugs - correct answer ✔✔Already dissolved and usually absorbed more quickly than solid
dosage forms
Ex: elixirs, syrups
Enteric-coated tablets - correct answer ✔✔Have coating that prevents them from being broken down in
the stomach
-Not absorbed until they reach higher the pH of intestines
-Cannot be crushed
Particle size - correct answer ✔✔Can make different dosage forms of the same drug dissolve at different
rates, become absorbed at different rates, and have different times to onset of action
Ex: micronized glyburide reaches maximum concentration peak faster than nonmicronized
Combination dosage forms - correct answer ✔✔Contain multiple drugs in one dose
Ex: Cholsterol/antihypertensive meds -- atorvastatin/amlodipine tablets called Caduet
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS 2026/2027
Chemical name - correct answer ✔✔Describes the drug's chemical composition and molecular structure
Ex: (+/-)-2-(p-isobutylphenyl) propionic acid
Generic name - correct answer ✔✔Nonproprietary name
-Given by the United States Adopted Names Council
-Used in most official drug compendiums to list drugs
Ex: Ibuprofen
Trade name - correct answer ✔✔Proprietary name
-The drug has a registered trademark; use of the name is restricted by the drug's patent owner (usually
the manufacturer)
Ex: Motrin, others
____________ determines the rate of drug dissolution - correct answer ✔✔Dosage form
Drug dissolution - correct answer ✔✔dissolving of solid dosage forms and their absorption from the GI
tract
Fastest drug absorption - correct answer ✔✔Oral disintegration, buccal tablets, oral soluable wafers
Slowest drug absorption - correct answer ✔✔Enteric-coated tablets
Drug absorption from fastest to slowest - correct answer ✔✔-Oral disintegration, buccal tablets, oral
soluable wafers
-Liquids, elixirs, and syrups
-Suspension solutions
-Powders
-Capsules
-Tablets
-Coated tablets
-Enteric-coated tablets
Absorption - correct answer ✔✔Movement of a drug from its site of administration into the blood
stream for distribution to the tissues
Bioavailablitiy - correct answer ✔✔Extent of drug absorption
Medication routes - correct answer ✔✔-Enteral
-Parenteral
-Topical
Enteral - correct answer ✔✔(GI tract)
-orally vs sublingual and buccal routes, G tube
,-First pass effect, variable absorption
Patenteral - correct answer ✔✔-Intravenous (IV)
-Intramuscular (IM)
Intravenous (IV) - correct answer ✔✔Rapid onset
Avoid first pass effect
IV: Nursing considerations - correct answer ✔✔Monitor drug
Check for compatibilities
Monitor IV site
Intramuscular (IM) - correct answer ✔✔Subcutaneously
Topical - correct answer ✔✔Avoid first-pass effect, except rectal administration
-Transdermal
-Topical
Transdermal - correct answer ✔✔Deliver constant amount
Slower onset, prolong duration
Patent life - correct answer ✔✔Length of time from patent approval until patent expiration
-Normally 17 years in newly discovered drug molecule
Biosimilar - correct answer ✔✔Copy version of an already authorized biological product
-New category of the generic drug market
Therapeutic equivalence - correct answer ✔✔One drug in a class of several drugs is chosen as the
preferred agent, even though the drugs do not have the same active ingredients
-In place due to high cost of drugs
-Both drugs have same therapeutic effect on the body
Drug classification - correct answer ✔✔Drugs are grouped together based on their similar properties
-Can be classified by structure or therapeutic use
Three basic areas of pharmacology that describe the relationship between the dose of a drug and the
activity of that drug in treating the disorder - correct answer ✔✔Pharmaceutics
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmaceutics - correct answer ✔✔The study of how various drug forms influence the way in which the
drug affects the body
-Different drug dosage forms have different pharmaceutical properties
Pharmacokinetics - correct answer ✔✔The study of what the body does to the drug
-Involves absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
Pharmacodynamics - correct answer ✔✔The study of what the drug does to the body
, -Involves drug-receptor relationships
Pharmacotherapeutics - correct answer ✔✔(Therapeutics)
Focuses on clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases
-Defines the principles of drug actions
Phases of drug activity - correct answer ✔✔Administration
1. Pharmaceutical phase: Disintegration of dosage form; dissolution of drug in body
Drug available for absorption
2. Pharmacokinetic phase: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Drug available for action
3. Pharmacodynamic phase: Drug-receptor interaction
Effect
Off-label prescribing - correct answer ✔✔Use of drugs for non-FDA-approved indications
Toxicology - correct answer ✔✔Study of adverse effects of drugs and other chemicals on living systems
Toxic effects - correct answer ✔✔Often an extension of a drug's therapeutic action.
Pharmacognosy - correct answer ✔✔The study of natural drug sources
(plants, animals, minerals)
Oral drugs - correct answer ✔✔May be in solid form:
-Tablet
-Capsule
-Powder
May be liquid form:
-Solution
-Suspension
Liquid oral drugs - correct answer ✔✔Already dissolved and usually absorbed more quickly than solid
dosage forms
Ex: elixirs, syrups
Enteric-coated tablets - correct answer ✔✔Have coating that prevents them from being broken down in
the stomach
-Not absorbed until they reach higher the pH of intestines
-Cannot be crushed
Particle size - correct answer ✔✔Can make different dosage forms of the same drug dissolve at different
rates, become absorbed at different rates, and have different times to onset of action
Ex: micronized glyburide reaches maximum concentration peak faster than nonmicronized
Combination dosage forms - correct answer ✔✔Contain multiple drugs in one dose
Ex: Cholsterol/antihypertensive meds -- atorvastatin/amlodipine tablets called Caduet
