ABSITE Pharmacology Breakdown 2025 – High-Yield
Drug Profiles, Mechanisms of Action, Side Effects,
and Commonly Tested Clinical Scenarios for Surgical
Exam Success
What is the effect of phenobarbital (barbiturates) on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of Dilantin on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of theophylline on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of warfarin on the P-450 system?
What is the most important organ for eliminating most drugs?
kidneys
What are two of the important mechanisms that kidney uses for drug elimination?
-glomerular filtration
-tubular secretion
What is the second most important organ for elimination of most drugs?
biliary system
What does it mean when a drug is polarized?
ionized
What is the solubility of a polar drug?
water soluble
,What form is a polar drug most likely to be eliminated in?
more likely to be eliminated in unaltered form
What does it mean when a drug is nonpolar?
nonionized
What is the solubility of a nonpolar drug?
fat soluble
What effect does being nonpolar have on drug elimination?
more likely to be metabolized before excretion
What is the cause of gout?
caused by high uric acid in the blood
What is the birefringence of uric acid/ with the diagnosis of gout?
negatively birefringent
Where does the uric acid crystals causing gout come from?
end product of purine metabolism
What is the presentation of gout?
-exquisite pain
-swelling
-redness
What is podagra?
when gout affects the big toe joint space (1st MTP joint)
What is the most commonly affected area for gout?
1st MTP joint, this is 50% of cases
What is the mechanism of cocicine?
anti-inflammatory that binds tubulin and inhibits migrations (chemotaxis) of WBCs
What type of drug is indomethacin?
NSAID
What is the mechanism of action of indomethacin?
, inhibits prostaglandin synthesis--> it is a reversible cyclooxygenase inhibitor
What is the mechanism of action of allopurinol?
xanthine oxidase inhibitor that blocks uric acid formation from xanthine
What is the mechanism of action of probenecid?
increases renal secretion of uric acid
What type of drug is cholestyramine?
lipid lowering agent
What is the mechanism of action of cholestyramine?
binds bile acids in the gut, forcing the body to resynthesize bile acids from cholesterol thereby
lowering body cholesterol
What is a potential side effect of cholestyramine?
can bind vitamin K and cause a bleeding tendency
What is the mechanism of action of the statin drugs?
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
What is the liver side effect of statin drugs?
can cause liver dysfunction
What is a potential muscle complication of statin drugs?
rhabdomyolysis
What is the mechanism of niacin as a lipid lowering agent?
inhibits cholesterol synthesis
What is a potential side effect of niacin?
flushing
What is the treatment for flushing associated with niacin?
ASA
What type of drug is metoclopramide (Reglan)?
prokinetic
Drug Profiles, Mechanisms of Action, Side Effects,
and Commonly Tested Clinical Scenarios for Surgical
Exam Success
What is the effect of phenobarbital (barbiturates) on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of Dilantin on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of theophylline on the P-450 system?
inducer
What is the effect of warfarin on the P-450 system?
What is the most important organ for eliminating most drugs?
kidneys
What are two of the important mechanisms that kidney uses for drug elimination?
-glomerular filtration
-tubular secretion
What is the second most important organ for elimination of most drugs?
biliary system
What does it mean when a drug is polarized?
ionized
What is the solubility of a polar drug?
water soluble
,What form is a polar drug most likely to be eliminated in?
more likely to be eliminated in unaltered form
What does it mean when a drug is nonpolar?
nonionized
What is the solubility of a nonpolar drug?
fat soluble
What effect does being nonpolar have on drug elimination?
more likely to be metabolized before excretion
What is the cause of gout?
caused by high uric acid in the blood
What is the birefringence of uric acid/ with the diagnosis of gout?
negatively birefringent
Where does the uric acid crystals causing gout come from?
end product of purine metabolism
What is the presentation of gout?
-exquisite pain
-swelling
-redness
What is podagra?
when gout affects the big toe joint space (1st MTP joint)
What is the most commonly affected area for gout?
1st MTP joint, this is 50% of cases
What is the mechanism of cocicine?
anti-inflammatory that binds tubulin and inhibits migrations (chemotaxis) of WBCs
What type of drug is indomethacin?
NSAID
What is the mechanism of action of indomethacin?
, inhibits prostaglandin synthesis--> it is a reversible cyclooxygenase inhibitor
What is the mechanism of action of allopurinol?
xanthine oxidase inhibitor that blocks uric acid formation from xanthine
What is the mechanism of action of probenecid?
increases renal secretion of uric acid
What type of drug is cholestyramine?
lipid lowering agent
What is the mechanism of action of cholestyramine?
binds bile acids in the gut, forcing the body to resynthesize bile acids from cholesterol thereby
lowering body cholesterol
What is a potential side effect of cholestyramine?
can bind vitamin K and cause a bleeding tendency
What is the mechanism of action of the statin drugs?
HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors
What is the liver side effect of statin drugs?
can cause liver dysfunction
What is a potential muscle complication of statin drugs?
rhabdomyolysis
What is the mechanism of niacin as a lipid lowering agent?
inhibits cholesterol synthesis
What is a potential side effect of niacin?
flushing
What is the treatment for flushing associated with niacin?
ASA
What type of drug is metoclopramide (Reglan)?
prokinetic
