CNPR, NAPSR EXAM QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Margin of safety - Answer-the difference between the usual effective dose and the
dose that induces severe or life threatening side effects
Rights of drug administration - Answer-right patient, right medication, right does, right
route of administration, and right time of delivery
Injection routes - Answer-intramuscular, intrathecal, intravenous, subcutaneous
intramuscular - Answer-drugs given by direct injection into muscle tissue
intrathecal - Answer-needle is inserted between to vertebrea in the lower spine an
into space around the spinal cord
intravenous - Answer-injected directly into the veins
subcutaneous - Answer-needle inserted into the fatty tissue just beneath the skin
Bioavailablility - Answer-how quickly and how much of a drug reaches its intended
target site of action
Bioequivalent - Answer-when drugs contain not only the same active ingredients but
also produce virtually the same blood levels over time
Therapeutic equivalence - Answer-production of the same medicinal effects
Areas of drug elimination and excretion - Answer-Lungs, breast milk, sweat tears
urine feces, bile, saliva, and exhaled air
medication error - Answer-failure to administer drug in the correct form
Powders - Answer-a drug that is dried and ground into fine particles
pills - Answer-a single dose unit of medicine made by mixing the powdered drug with
liquid such as syrup and rolling it into a round or oval shape
granules - Answer-a small pill usually accompanied usually accompanied by many
others encased within a gelatin capsule; quite often releasing medication over time
tablet - Answer-pharmaceutical preparation made by compressing the powdered for
of a drug and bulk filling material under high pressure; commonly used for anti acids
and antiflatulents
Capsules - Answer-medication dosage form in which the drug is contained in an
external shell; can be pulled apart for access to contents
,sustained release - Answer-several doses of a drug in special coatings that dissolve
at different rates
Enteric Coating - Answer-dosage in special coating that doesn't digest in the
stomach; only starts to digest in the intestines
caplets - Answer-shaped like a capsule but has the form of a tablet the shape and
file make swallowing easier
gel caps - Answer-an oil based medication that is enclosed in soft gelatin capsule
Emulsion - Answer-two agents that cannot ordinarily be combined or mixed
otic drugs - Answer-control localized infections or inflammation and require very low
dosages to be effective
Types of drug despensing - Answer-OTC and prescription
Type A (Augmented) drug reaction - Answer-exaggeration of the drug's therapeutic
effects
Type B (idiosyncratic) - Answer-results from mechanisms that are not currently
understood; largely unpredictable
Type C (continuing or chronic) - Answer-These persist for a long time
Type D delayed - Answer-these take some time to develop
Type E end of use - Answer-These occur during drug withdrawal
Risk Factors - Answer-Use of several drugs, age, Pregnancy and breast feeding
Excipients - Answer-inactive ingredients
Parenteral - Answer-intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous
Rectal - Answer-suppository
Oral - Answer-tablet, capsule, liquid
Transdermal - Answer-through the skin via creams or patches
Binders - Answer-cement the active and inert components of tablets
Fillers - Answer-used to make the drug sufficiently large for easy manufacture and
consumption
Glidants(flow enhancers) - Answer-added to powdered materials used in pill
production to aid movement through tabletting machinery
,suspending/dispersing agents - Answer-maintain consistent concentration of the
active ingredients throughout the drug product
disintegrants - Answer-help break up the tablets int the GI tract
Lubricants - Answer-ease the release of the tablets from the dies that stamp them
during the manufacturing process
AUC - Answer-represents the extent of the drug absorption or the quantity of the
drug that appears in the bloodstream following oral administration
Cmax - Answer-peak plasma concentration on a measuring curve
First pass effect - Answer-metabolizing process in the liver that suppresses the
amount of drug that eventually reaches the systemic circulation and the site of action
onset of action - Answer-the time it takes for a drug to start having any intended
affect after it is administered
Protein Binding - Answer-the ability of certain drugs to bind to plasma protein
QD - Answer-once a day
QID - Answer-four times a day
PRN - Answer-take as needed
TID - Answer-three times a day
Tmax - Answer-time of peak plasma concentration on a measuring curve
BID - Answer-twice a day
Authorized distributor - Answer-any distributor of a prescription drug that has a
written agreement with the manufacturers of the prescription drug and conducts at
least two transactions with the manufacturer of the prescription drug within any 24-
month period
Average whole price (AWP) - Answer-published whole sale price or list price
suggested by the manufacturer
Brokerage - Answer-the combination of -drop ship and dock to dock delivery services
provided by wholesalers. Wholesalers do not bring the product into their warehouses
Buy-side margin - Answer-refers to the early payment discounts and other earned or
negotiated rebates and discounts received by wholesalers from drug manufacturers;
increase in the value of wholesalers' inventories ad manufacturers' prices rise
, chain drug store - Answer-a company that owns and operates four or more
pharmacies
dock to dock delivery - Answer-wholesaler obtains the drugs to a dispenser own
warehouse without taking the drugs into its own inventory
drop shipment - Answer-the drug manufacturer directly delivers the drugs to a
dispenser but the order and payments are made through a wholesaler
Float - Answer-the time differential between when a wholesaler receives payment
from its customer and when the payment is due to its supplier
Group Purchasing Organization GPO - Answer-an entity consisting of two or more
hospitals or other healthcare entities that is formed to offer its members access to
purchasing contracts for health supplies
In-state wholesaler - Answer-wholesaler that distributes drug products in a state in
which it is physically located
independent drug store - Answer-a company that owns and operates three or fewer
pharmacies
Integrated Delivery Network IDN - Answer-a financial management structure that
unites hospitals, physicians ambulatory care site and managed care plans through
ownership or exclusive formal agreements to provide a system to deliver a
continuum of healthcare services
Mail order pharmacy - Answer-a pharmacy that dispenses prescriptions to patients
who submit their prescriptions by mail or fax
manufacturer direct sale - Answer-the type of sale that bypasses the need for any
intermediary distributor
mass merchandiser - Answer-Department stores with a pharmacy
non-stock sales - Answer-brokerage sales, dock to dock sales, drop shipments, and
any form of sale not placed in inventory
out of state wolesaler - Answer-a wholesaler that distributes drug products in a state
in which it is not physically located
pharmacy benefit management group - Answer-an entity that administers the
prescription drug part of health insurance plans on behalf of plan sponsors such as
self insured employers, insureance companies, and health maintenance
organizations
rebate - Answer-the amount that the manufacturer of the drug pays to an insurer or
health plan for each unit of drug dispensed
ANSWERS
Margin of safety - Answer-the difference between the usual effective dose and the
dose that induces severe or life threatening side effects
Rights of drug administration - Answer-right patient, right medication, right does, right
route of administration, and right time of delivery
Injection routes - Answer-intramuscular, intrathecal, intravenous, subcutaneous
intramuscular - Answer-drugs given by direct injection into muscle tissue
intrathecal - Answer-needle is inserted between to vertebrea in the lower spine an
into space around the spinal cord
intravenous - Answer-injected directly into the veins
subcutaneous - Answer-needle inserted into the fatty tissue just beneath the skin
Bioavailablility - Answer-how quickly and how much of a drug reaches its intended
target site of action
Bioequivalent - Answer-when drugs contain not only the same active ingredients but
also produce virtually the same blood levels over time
Therapeutic equivalence - Answer-production of the same medicinal effects
Areas of drug elimination and excretion - Answer-Lungs, breast milk, sweat tears
urine feces, bile, saliva, and exhaled air
medication error - Answer-failure to administer drug in the correct form
Powders - Answer-a drug that is dried and ground into fine particles
pills - Answer-a single dose unit of medicine made by mixing the powdered drug with
liquid such as syrup and rolling it into a round or oval shape
granules - Answer-a small pill usually accompanied usually accompanied by many
others encased within a gelatin capsule; quite often releasing medication over time
tablet - Answer-pharmaceutical preparation made by compressing the powdered for
of a drug and bulk filling material under high pressure; commonly used for anti acids
and antiflatulents
Capsules - Answer-medication dosage form in which the drug is contained in an
external shell; can be pulled apart for access to contents
,sustained release - Answer-several doses of a drug in special coatings that dissolve
at different rates
Enteric Coating - Answer-dosage in special coating that doesn't digest in the
stomach; only starts to digest in the intestines
caplets - Answer-shaped like a capsule but has the form of a tablet the shape and
file make swallowing easier
gel caps - Answer-an oil based medication that is enclosed in soft gelatin capsule
Emulsion - Answer-two agents that cannot ordinarily be combined or mixed
otic drugs - Answer-control localized infections or inflammation and require very low
dosages to be effective
Types of drug despensing - Answer-OTC and prescription
Type A (Augmented) drug reaction - Answer-exaggeration of the drug's therapeutic
effects
Type B (idiosyncratic) - Answer-results from mechanisms that are not currently
understood; largely unpredictable
Type C (continuing or chronic) - Answer-These persist for a long time
Type D delayed - Answer-these take some time to develop
Type E end of use - Answer-These occur during drug withdrawal
Risk Factors - Answer-Use of several drugs, age, Pregnancy and breast feeding
Excipients - Answer-inactive ingredients
Parenteral - Answer-intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous
Rectal - Answer-suppository
Oral - Answer-tablet, capsule, liquid
Transdermal - Answer-through the skin via creams or patches
Binders - Answer-cement the active and inert components of tablets
Fillers - Answer-used to make the drug sufficiently large for easy manufacture and
consumption
Glidants(flow enhancers) - Answer-added to powdered materials used in pill
production to aid movement through tabletting machinery
,suspending/dispersing agents - Answer-maintain consistent concentration of the
active ingredients throughout the drug product
disintegrants - Answer-help break up the tablets int the GI tract
Lubricants - Answer-ease the release of the tablets from the dies that stamp them
during the manufacturing process
AUC - Answer-represents the extent of the drug absorption or the quantity of the
drug that appears in the bloodstream following oral administration
Cmax - Answer-peak plasma concentration on a measuring curve
First pass effect - Answer-metabolizing process in the liver that suppresses the
amount of drug that eventually reaches the systemic circulation and the site of action
onset of action - Answer-the time it takes for a drug to start having any intended
affect after it is administered
Protein Binding - Answer-the ability of certain drugs to bind to plasma protein
QD - Answer-once a day
QID - Answer-four times a day
PRN - Answer-take as needed
TID - Answer-three times a day
Tmax - Answer-time of peak plasma concentration on a measuring curve
BID - Answer-twice a day
Authorized distributor - Answer-any distributor of a prescription drug that has a
written agreement with the manufacturers of the prescription drug and conducts at
least two transactions with the manufacturer of the prescription drug within any 24-
month period
Average whole price (AWP) - Answer-published whole sale price or list price
suggested by the manufacturer
Brokerage - Answer-the combination of -drop ship and dock to dock delivery services
provided by wholesalers. Wholesalers do not bring the product into their warehouses
Buy-side margin - Answer-refers to the early payment discounts and other earned or
negotiated rebates and discounts received by wholesalers from drug manufacturers;
increase in the value of wholesalers' inventories ad manufacturers' prices rise
, chain drug store - Answer-a company that owns and operates four or more
pharmacies
dock to dock delivery - Answer-wholesaler obtains the drugs to a dispenser own
warehouse without taking the drugs into its own inventory
drop shipment - Answer-the drug manufacturer directly delivers the drugs to a
dispenser but the order and payments are made through a wholesaler
Float - Answer-the time differential between when a wholesaler receives payment
from its customer and when the payment is due to its supplier
Group Purchasing Organization GPO - Answer-an entity consisting of two or more
hospitals or other healthcare entities that is formed to offer its members access to
purchasing contracts for health supplies
In-state wholesaler - Answer-wholesaler that distributes drug products in a state in
which it is physically located
independent drug store - Answer-a company that owns and operates three or fewer
pharmacies
Integrated Delivery Network IDN - Answer-a financial management structure that
unites hospitals, physicians ambulatory care site and managed care plans through
ownership or exclusive formal agreements to provide a system to deliver a
continuum of healthcare services
Mail order pharmacy - Answer-a pharmacy that dispenses prescriptions to patients
who submit their prescriptions by mail or fax
manufacturer direct sale - Answer-the type of sale that bypasses the need for any
intermediary distributor
mass merchandiser - Answer-Department stores with a pharmacy
non-stock sales - Answer-brokerage sales, dock to dock sales, drop shipments, and
any form of sale not placed in inventory
out of state wolesaler - Answer-a wholesaler that distributes drug products in a state
in which it is not physically located
pharmacy benefit management group - Answer-an entity that administers the
prescription drug part of health insurance plans on behalf of plan sponsors such as
self insured employers, insureance companies, and health maintenance
organizations
rebate - Answer-the amount that the manufacturer of the drug pays to an insurer or
health plan for each unit of drug dispensed
