NSG 251 Didactic Questions 2025 Latest and
Verified Answers
Factors that affect protein binding
Malnutrition: Reduced synthesis of albumin and lipoprotein can decrease the percentage
of unbound drug.
Stress, surgery, liver or kidney dysfunction, and pregnancy: These can alter the concentration
of plasma proteins.
Drug interactions: Other drugs can compete with a bound drug for protein-binding sites.
Therapeuitc ranges
o Onset of action is the time it takes for a drug to have a therapeutic effect
§ Dose form and route are critical for speed or for extended length of action
o Highest blood level is peak
§ Greatest amount of drug in the body
§ Above the peak, drugs become toxic
o Below MEC is ineffective
o Lowest level is the trough
q Peak: maximum therapeutic response (highest blood level)
q Trough -lowest blood level
What is a "half-life"of a drug? Why is this important?
The time required for half or 50% of a given drug to be removed from the body
Measures the rate a drug is eliminated from the body
• Time it takes to reduce serum drug level by 50%
• Often takes 4-5 half-lives to achieve steady state
, Define pharmacotherapeutics.
The treatment of pathologic conditions using drugs. Contraindication for a medication is
any patient condition, that makes the use of a medication dangerous for a patient
7 Pharmacotherapeutic purposes of drugs
acute, maintenance, supplemental, palliative, supportive, prophylactic, and empirical
Acute purpose of drugs
(involves treatment of a sudden illness/condition often to sustain life- vasopressors to maintain
blood pressure)
Maintenance purpose of drugs
prevents progression of the disease, often for chronic illnesses (beta blocker to reduce a
patient's blood pressure)
Supplemental purpose of drugs
provides the body with a substance needed that it cannot produce enough of or at all (iron for
iron deficiency)
Pallative purpose of drugs
improves comfort and QOL, esp. at end of life stage (high dose opioids to relieve pain
with metastatic cancer)
Supportive purpose of drugs
maintains body functions while body recovers from illness/trauma
(IV fluids to dehydration in someone that has vomiting)
Prophylactic purpose of drugs
prevents illness (preoperative antibiotic prior to surgery)
Empirical purpose of drugs
Verified Answers
Factors that affect protein binding
Malnutrition: Reduced synthesis of albumin and lipoprotein can decrease the percentage
of unbound drug.
Stress, surgery, liver or kidney dysfunction, and pregnancy: These can alter the concentration
of plasma proteins.
Drug interactions: Other drugs can compete with a bound drug for protein-binding sites.
Therapeuitc ranges
o Onset of action is the time it takes for a drug to have a therapeutic effect
§ Dose form and route are critical for speed or for extended length of action
o Highest blood level is peak
§ Greatest amount of drug in the body
§ Above the peak, drugs become toxic
o Below MEC is ineffective
o Lowest level is the trough
q Peak: maximum therapeutic response (highest blood level)
q Trough -lowest blood level
What is a "half-life"of a drug? Why is this important?
The time required for half or 50% of a given drug to be removed from the body
Measures the rate a drug is eliminated from the body
• Time it takes to reduce serum drug level by 50%
• Often takes 4-5 half-lives to achieve steady state
, Define pharmacotherapeutics.
The treatment of pathologic conditions using drugs. Contraindication for a medication is
any patient condition, that makes the use of a medication dangerous for a patient
7 Pharmacotherapeutic purposes of drugs
acute, maintenance, supplemental, palliative, supportive, prophylactic, and empirical
Acute purpose of drugs
(involves treatment of a sudden illness/condition often to sustain life- vasopressors to maintain
blood pressure)
Maintenance purpose of drugs
prevents progression of the disease, often for chronic illnesses (beta blocker to reduce a
patient's blood pressure)
Supplemental purpose of drugs
provides the body with a substance needed that it cannot produce enough of or at all (iron for
iron deficiency)
Pallative purpose of drugs
improves comfort and QOL, esp. at end of life stage (high dose opioids to relieve pain
with metastatic cancer)
Supportive purpose of drugs
maintains body functions while body recovers from illness/trauma
(IV fluids to dehydration in someone that has vomiting)
Prophylactic purpose of drugs
prevents illness (preoperative antibiotic prior to surgery)
Empirical purpose of drugs
