1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
Galen NUR 210 Pharmacology
Exam 1 Questions and Answers
(100% Pass)
Pharmacokinetics
✓ The process in which medications move through the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics?
✓ absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption
✓ happens with drug movement from the GI tract into the bloodstream.
Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption
✓ Takes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go through the GI
system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption
✓ Absorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption
✓ Absorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution
✓ Dissolution happens when a po medication breaks down into particles,
disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from
the GI tract into the bloodstream occurs.
Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with
the absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
✓ Parenteral medications (SL, eyedrops, inhalants, transdermal) do not
pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill
reaches the small intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be
crushed.
Factors that affect absorption
✓ •Lack of muscle and increased fat changes medicine absorption
•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients
✓ Fillers and other substances that make up tablets as a pill is not 100%
drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN,
which is not well absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the
absorption of PCN
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
first pass effect
✓ •the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where some of the drug
becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying
✓ Food doesn't move like it should
Distribution
✓ refers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues
Factors affecting distribution
✓ -blood flow to tissues
-protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
Galen NUR 210 Pharmacology
Exam 1 Questions and Answers
(100% Pass)
Pharmacokinetics
✓ The process in which medications move through the body
What are the 4 phases of pharmacokinetics?
✓ absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption
✓ happens with drug movement from the GI tract into the bloodstream.
Most meds are taken by mouth.
Oral absorption
✓ Takes awhile to get absorbed because it has to go through the GI
system
Usually takes 2-4 hours
•Enteric coated
aspirin - hard on stomach
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
can not crush pill
•Extended release
absorbed in the small intestine
IM absorption
✓ Absorbed 1-2 hours
IV absorption
✓ Absorbed 30-60 minutes
dissolution
✓ Dissolution happens when a po medication breaks down into particles,
disintegrates, and dissolves to combine with liquid so absorption from
the GI tract into the bloodstream occurs.
Liquid medications are absorbed faster than solids. Food can interfere with
the absorption of drugs.
Drugs that resist dissolution
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
✓ Parenteral medications (SL, eyedrops, inhalants, transdermal) do not
pass through the GI tract.
Enteric coated medications are designed to resist disintegration until the pill
reaches the small intestine. EC and sustained release meds should not be
crushed.
Factors that affect absorption
✓ •Lack of muscle and increased fat changes medicine absorption
•Food consumption - will change medicine potency (delayed)
•Stress - Exercise, medicine goes to muscle
•pH - Medicine is made for acidic environments
•Antacid changes absorption
•Taken alone so it doesn't change the action
Excipients
✓ Fillers and other substances that make up tablets as a pill is not 100%
drug.
Sometimes an excipient enhances the absorption of a drug such as with PCN,
which is not well absorbed from the GI tract.
Adding Na to PCN, which makes it penicillin sodium, will increase the
absorption of PCN
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
, 1 | P a g e | © copyright 2024/2025 | Grade A+
first pass effect
✓ •the oral drugs go to liver via portal vein where some of the drug
becomes inactive
•Only happens with oral medications
delayed gastric emptying
✓ Food doesn't move like it should
Distribution
✓ refers to the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues
Factors affecting distribution
✓ -blood flow to tissues
-protein binding
-blood brain barrier
-drug's affinity to the tissue
protein binding
Master01 | October, 2024/2025 | Latest update
