NU578 Final Exam: Comprehensive Study Guide
(Verified Updated)
This comprehensive final exam study guide covers all five units of NU578: Pharmacology for
Advanced Practice Nurses at the University of South Alabama. It includes practice questions
with detailed rationales, organized by unit, and reflects the 2026–2027 curriculum. The final
exam is comprehensive, covering pharmacokinetics, autonomic nervous system drugs,
cardiovascular pharmacology, endocrine pharmacology, and antimicrobial therapy, with
additional emphasis on special populations, controlled substances, and clinical application.
Exam Blueprint (Final Exam Structure):
Unit Topics Covered
Unit 1 Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
Unit 2 Autonomic & CNS Pharmacology
Unit 3 Cardiovascular & Renal Pharmacology
Unit 4 Endocrine & Metabolic Pharmacology
Unit 5 Anti-infectives & Antimicrobials
Unit 6 Special Populations (Pregnancy, Pediatrics, Geriatrics)
Unit 7 Controlled Substances, Pain Management, & Prescribing
Section 1: Unit 1 – Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
1.1 Core Concepts
,Q1. Define pharmacokinetics.
A. The impact of drugs on the body
B. The impact of the body on drugs – how much of an
administered dose reaches its sites of action
C. The study of drug interactions
D. The study of drug side effects
Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics encompasses Absorption,
Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME). This is distinct
from pharmacodynamics, which is the impact of drugs on the
body.
Q2. Define pharmacodynamics.
A. The impact of the body on drugs
B. The impact of drugs on the body – the nature and intensity of
the response
C. The study of drug absorption
D. The study of drug elimination
Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics includes receptor binding, post-
receptor effects, and clinical response. It answers "What does
the drug do to the body?".
Q3. What are the four major pharmacokinetic processes?
A. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion (ADME)
B. Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
,C. Anabolism, Catabolism, Metabolism, Excretion
D. Ingestion, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
Answer: A
Rationale: These processes determine drug concentration at
action sites over time, helping predict onset, peak duration, and
elimination.
Q4. A drug with a high therapeutic index is considered:
A. More likely to cause toxicity
B. Safer because the therapeutic dose is far from the toxic dose
C. Less effective than drugs with a low therapeutic index
D. More likely to require therapeutic drug monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: The therapeutic index (TI = TD50/ED50) is the ratio
of toxic dose to effective dose. A high TI means a wide margin
of safety.
Q5. A patient with cirrhosis may have reduced metabolism of
certain medications due to:
A. Increased first-pass metabolism
B. Decreased first-pass metabolism
C. Increased renal excretion
D. Decreased protein binding only
Answer: B
Rationale: First-pass metabolism occurs in the liver. In cirrhosis,
, liver function is impaired, reducing first-pass effect and
potentially causing toxicity.
Q6. What is the definition of absorption in pharmacokinetics?
A. The movement of a drug from its site of administration into
the blood
B. The movement of drug from blood to tissues
C. The chemical alteration of drug structure
D. The removal of drug from the body
Answer: A
Rationale: Absorption is the process of drug movement from its
site of administration into the blood, usually done by passive
diffusion.
Q7. What is the first-pass effect?
A. The first dose of a drug causes the greatest effect
B. Oral doses are metabolized by the liver before reaching
systemic circulation
C. The drug is excreted before it can work
D. The drug bypasses the liver entirely
Answer: B
Rationale: The first-pass effect (presystemic metabolism) means
oral doses are typically larger because some of the medication
is metabolized by the liver before it ever hits the systemic
circulation.
(Verified Updated)
This comprehensive final exam study guide covers all five units of NU578: Pharmacology for
Advanced Practice Nurses at the University of South Alabama. It includes practice questions
with detailed rationales, organized by unit, and reflects the 2026–2027 curriculum. The final
exam is comprehensive, covering pharmacokinetics, autonomic nervous system drugs,
cardiovascular pharmacology, endocrine pharmacology, and antimicrobial therapy, with
additional emphasis on special populations, controlled substances, and clinical application.
Exam Blueprint (Final Exam Structure):
Unit Topics Covered
Unit 1 Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
Unit 2 Autonomic & CNS Pharmacology
Unit 3 Cardiovascular & Renal Pharmacology
Unit 4 Endocrine & Metabolic Pharmacology
Unit 5 Anti-infectives & Antimicrobials
Unit 6 Special Populations (Pregnancy, Pediatrics, Geriatrics)
Unit 7 Controlled Substances, Pain Management, & Prescribing
Section 1: Unit 1 – Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
1.1 Core Concepts
,Q1. Define pharmacokinetics.
A. The impact of drugs on the body
B. The impact of the body on drugs – how much of an
administered dose reaches its sites of action
C. The study of drug interactions
D. The study of drug side effects
Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics encompasses Absorption,
Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME). This is distinct
from pharmacodynamics, which is the impact of drugs on the
body.
Q2. Define pharmacodynamics.
A. The impact of the body on drugs
B. The impact of drugs on the body – the nature and intensity of
the response
C. The study of drug absorption
D. The study of drug elimination
Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics includes receptor binding, post-
receptor effects, and clinical response. It answers "What does
the drug do to the body?".
Q3. What are the four major pharmacokinetic processes?
A. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion (ADME)
B. Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
,C. Anabolism, Catabolism, Metabolism, Excretion
D. Ingestion, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
Answer: A
Rationale: These processes determine drug concentration at
action sites over time, helping predict onset, peak duration, and
elimination.
Q4. A drug with a high therapeutic index is considered:
A. More likely to cause toxicity
B. Safer because the therapeutic dose is far from the toxic dose
C. Less effective than drugs with a low therapeutic index
D. More likely to require therapeutic drug monitoring
Answer: B
Rationale: The therapeutic index (TI = TD50/ED50) is the ratio
of toxic dose to effective dose. A high TI means a wide margin
of safety.
Q5. A patient with cirrhosis may have reduced metabolism of
certain medications due to:
A. Increased first-pass metabolism
B. Decreased first-pass metabolism
C. Increased renal excretion
D. Decreased protein binding only
Answer: B
Rationale: First-pass metabolism occurs in the liver. In cirrhosis,
, liver function is impaired, reducing first-pass effect and
potentially causing toxicity.
Q6. What is the definition of absorption in pharmacokinetics?
A. The movement of a drug from its site of administration into
the blood
B. The movement of drug from blood to tissues
C. The chemical alteration of drug structure
D. The removal of drug from the body
Answer: A
Rationale: Absorption is the process of drug movement from its
site of administration into the blood, usually done by passive
diffusion.
Q7. What is the first-pass effect?
A. The first dose of a drug causes the greatest effect
B. Oral doses are metabolized by the liver before reaching
systemic circulation
C. The drug is excreted before it can work
D. The drug bypasses the liver entirely
Answer: B
Rationale: The first-pass effect (presystemic metabolism) means
oral doses are typically larger because some of the medication
is metabolized by the liver before it ever hits the systemic
circulation.
