NUR 210 Exam 1 Actual Questions and
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Already
Graded A+ | New Update 2026/2027
Question 1
Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug"?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: C) Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body,
encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
Pharmacodynamics, in contrast, is "what the drug does to the body."
Question 2
What are the four phases of pharmacokinetics?
A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Action, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
D) Action, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
Correct Answer: A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
Rationale: The four phases of pharmacokinetics are Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism,
and Excretion (ADME).
Question 3
The pharmaceutical phase of drug action involves:
,A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutical phase is the first phase of drug action, where the solid drug
must dissolve into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small
intestine.
Question 4
A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: B) Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An
antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response.
Question 5
A drug that binds to a receptor but produces no response is called a(n):
A) Agonist
B) Partial agonist
C) Antagonist
D) Inverse agonist
Correct Answer: C) Antagonist
Rationale: An antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response. It prevents other
substances from binding and activating the receptor.
,Question 6
A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic
circulation, reducing its bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before
it reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available to
produce a therapeutic effect.
Question 7
A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: C) Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream,
bypassing absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability.
Question 8
A 55-year-old receives digoxin 0.25 mg PO. The tablet dissolves in the stomach but only
75% reaches systemic circulation. This BEST illustrates which ADME process?
A) Distribution
B) First-pass metabolism
C) Excretion
D) Absorption rate
, Correct Answer: B) First-pass metabolism
Rationale: First-pass hepatic metabolism lowers bioavailability. The drug is metabolized in
the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing the amount of active drug.
Question 9
What is the primary site of drug metabolism in the human body?
A) Kidneys
B) Lungs
C) Small Intestine
D) Liver
Correct Answer: D) Liver
Rationale: The liver is the primary organ responsible for the metabolism
(biotransformation) of drugs.
Question 10
What is the primary site of drug excretion in the human body?
A) Liver
B) Kidneys
C) Lungs
D) Sweat glands
Correct Answer: B) Kidneys
Rationale: The kidneys are the primary organ responsible for eliminating drugs from the
body.
Question 11
A drug's half-life is defined as the time it takes for:
A) The drug to reach its peak concentration
B) The drug concentration in the body to be reduced by 50%
Correct Answers (Verified Answers) Already
Graded A+ | New Update 2026/2027
Question 1
Which term best describes "what the body does to the drug"?
A) Pharmacodynamics
B) Pharmacotherapeutics
C) Pharmacokinetics
D) Toxicology
Correct Answer: C) Pharmacokinetics
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug movement through the body,
encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME).
Pharmacodynamics, in contrast, is "what the drug does to the body."
Question 2
What are the four phases of pharmacokinetics?
A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
B) Action, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C) Absorption, Digestion, Metabolism, Elimination
D) Action, Digestion, Metabolism, Excretion
Correct Answer: A) Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
Rationale: The four phases of pharmacokinetics are Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism,
and Excretion (ADME).
Question 3
The pharmaceutical phase of drug action involves:
,A) Absorption of the drug into the bloodstream
B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
C) Distribution of the drug to target tissues
D) Excretion of the drug via the kidneys
Correct Answer: B) Dissolution of the drug in the gastrointestinal tract
Rationale: The pharmaceutical phase is the first phase of drug action, where the solid drug
must dissolve into a liquid so it can be absorbed. Most oral absorption occurs in the small
intestine.
Question 4
A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a biological response is called a(n):
A) Antagonist
B) Agonist
C) Partial agonist
D) Competitive antagonist
Correct Answer: B) Agonist
Rationale: An agonist activates a receptor and produces a biological response. An
antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response.
Question 5
A drug that binds to a receptor but produces no response is called a(n):
A) Agonist
B) Partial agonist
C) Antagonist
D) Inverse agonist
Correct Answer: C) Antagonist
Rationale: An antagonist blocks the receptor and produces no response. It prevents other
substances from binding and activating the receptor.
,Question 6
A patient asks the nurse, "What does 'first-pass effect' mean?" The best response is:
A) "The drug is absorbed faster when taken on an empty stomach."
B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its
bioavailability."
C) "The drug is excreted unchanged by the kidneys."
D) "The drug binds to plasma proteins and becomes inactive."
Correct Answer: B) "The drug is metabolized in the liver before reaching systemic
circulation, reducing its bioavailability."
Rationale: The first-pass effect refers to the metabolism of an oral drug by the liver before
it reaches systemic circulation, which reduces the amount of active drug available to
produce a therapeutic effect.
Question 7
A medication given by which route has 100% bioavailability?
A) Oral
B) Sublingual
C) Intravenous
D) Intramuscular
Correct Answer: C) Intravenous
Rationale: Intravenous administration places the drug directly into the bloodstream,
bypassing absorption and first-pass metabolism, resulting in 100% bioavailability.
Question 8
A 55-year-old receives digoxin 0.25 mg PO. The tablet dissolves in the stomach but only
75% reaches systemic circulation. This BEST illustrates which ADME process?
A) Distribution
B) First-pass metabolism
C) Excretion
D) Absorption rate
, Correct Answer: B) First-pass metabolism
Rationale: First-pass hepatic metabolism lowers bioavailability. The drug is metabolized in
the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing the amount of active drug.
Question 9
What is the primary site of drug metabolism in the human body?
A) Kidneys
B) Lungs
C) Small Intestine
D) Liver
Correct Answer: D) Liver
Rationale: The liver is the primary organ responsible for the metabolism
(biotransformation) of drugs.
Question 10
What is the primary site of drug excretion in the human body?
A) Liver
B) Kidneys
C) Lungs
D) Sweat glands
Correct Answer: B) Kidneys
Rationale: The kidneys are the primary organ responsible for eliminating drugs from the
body.
Question 11
A drug's half-life is defined as the time it takes for:
A) The drug to reach its peak concentration
B) The drug concentration in the body to be reduced by 50%
