NORTH CAROLINA NEONATAL PHARMACOLOGY CERTIFICATION EXAM LATEST UPDATE 2026/2027 .

. Clearance CORRECT ANSWER the amount of blood that is cleared of the drug per unit time 2. Half-life CORRECT ANSWER The time needed for the total amount of a drug in the body or blood to decrease to 50% of the original concentration. Nearly 97% of drug would leave the body in 5 half lives 3. Elimination rate constant CORRECT ANSWER Slope of the drug concentration on a logarithmic scale (y axis) in relation to time (x axis) 4. First order kinetics CORRECT ANSWER a constant FRACTION of drug is eliminated per unit time Depicted as a linear relationship between drug concentrations in LOGARITHMIC SCALE (y axis) over time (x axis) Half-life CORRECT ANSWER independent of dose Most drugs are eliminated this way (examples ampicillin, gentamicin) 5. Zero order kinetics CORRECT ANSWER a constant AMOUNT of drug is eliminated per unit of time Depicted by linear relationship between drug concentration in LINEAR SCALE (y axis) over time (x axis) Half life - increases with higher dose Examples CORRECT ANSWER Ethanol, phenytoin 6. Compartment model CORRECT ANSWER Describes whether the distribution and change in the concentration of drug occurs in 1 or 2 phases 7. 1 compartment model CORRECT ANSWER A drug is theoretically distributed instantaneously in a homogenous manner throughout the whole compartment followed by elimination of the drug with a single elimination rate constant (a single sloping line) Examples CORRECT ANSWER Drugs that do not distribute significantly into the extravascular tissues, such as aminoglycosides 8. 2 compartment model CORRECT ANSWER Showstwo phases(ditterent rates) of elimination 9. Amphotericin B side effects CORRECT ANSWER Nephrotoxic and hepatotoxic Hypokalemia Hypomagnesemia Hyponatremia 10. Mechanism of killing for ampicillin (and other beta lactams) CORRECT ANSWER time-dependent requires more frequent dosing to improve bactericidal eflcacy 11. Mechanism of killing for gentamicin CORRECT ANSWER Concentration-dependent requires higher drug doses to improve bactericidal eflcacy 12. MOA of Diazoxide CORRECT ANSWER Agonist of K-ATP channels, causing repolarization of the membrane in the pancreatic islet B-cells and thus decreasing exocytosis of insulin 13. Unfractionated Heparin CORRECT ANSWER Potentiatesthe ettect of antithrombin Short half life, ettects reversed within minutes of stopping Monitor anti-Xa levels 14. Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH)