Portage Pharm Exam 1 Study Guide
Questions and Actual Answers (2025-
2026) Updated.
Show how you would set up a proportion for a basic drug calculation. - Answer 10mg/kg =
Xmg/50mg where you solve for "X"
How many pounds are in 1 Kg? - Answer 2.2 lbs
Adverse effects - Answer undesired effects that is potentially harmful
define the terms Drug tolerance and Drug dependence. - Answer Drug tolerance is defined as
a decreased effect that occurs after repeated administration.
Drug dependence is a condition wherein reliance on the administration of a particular drug
becomes extremely important to the well-being of the individual. This can be psychological and
physical.
side effects - Answer drug effects other than the therapeutic effect that are undesirable but
not harmful.
List the pregnancy drug classes and name the one that is considered most safe for use in
pregnancy. - Answer Pregnancy Category A, B, C, D, X, NR. Pregnancy category A is considered
most safe.
Define receptors and the two different ways in which they can act. - Answer Receptors are
specific cellular structures that bind to drugs, when bind they produce a physiologic effect
*antagonist which interfere with the drugs effects *Agonist witch activate the drug effects
Where is the most common site of drug interactions? - Answer The most common drug
interactions happen when there is competition between two drugs for metabolizing enzymes
within the cytochrome P-450 enzymes
What is the difference between the onset of action and duration of action? - Answer Onset is
the time between drug given to when the effects is seen
, slows the onset of actionDistribution-distribution is increased leading to increased drug effect
due to decreased body water, lean body mass and increased fat contentMetabolism - Drug
metabolism decreases increasing the duration of the drug due to decrease in blood flow to the
liver and decrease in liver enzymesExcretion - Excretion is decreased due to decreased blood
flow to the kidneys and overall decreased renal function as one ages
weight -Most adult dosages are calculated for a 150-pound adult. If a person is significantly
larger or smaller their dose may need to be adjusted.Higher body fat percentage means that
there is less body water for the drug to dissolve in; therefore, they may have a greater response
to the drug.
Sex- hormon based drugs
Genetic - missing enzyme or alteration in how an enzyme works can also make a person either
not respond or respond too much to a particular dug.
Oral is the route of injection and movement through the GI tract
Parental is all other routes that doesn't apply to the GI tract *Sublingual, rectal, transdermal, SC,
IM, IV, Intrathecal, inhalation, topical, vaginal - Answer What is the difference between oral
and parenteral administration?
List the different ways that drugs can interact with receptors. - Answer Agonist- binding with
response
Partial agonist- binding with diminished response
Antagonist- binding with no response/prevents binding
Competitive antagonist- drug will compete for agonist/ if binding occurs no response will
happen
Noncompetitive antagonist- binding with wrong part of receptor inhibit effect/agonist has no
effect
Define the four pharmacokinetic processes Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion. -
Answer Absorption is the movement of a drug from its site of administration into the
bloodstream ready to be distributed throughout the body.
Distribution refers to the transport of a drug by the bloodstream to its site of action.
Metabolism is the biochemical alteration of a drug into an inactive metabolite, a more potent
metabolite, or a less active metabolite.
Questions and Actual Answers (2025-
2026) Updated.
Show how you would set up a proportion for a basic drug calculation. - Answer 10mg/kg =
Xmg/50mg where you solve for "X"
How many pounds are in 1 Kg? - Answer 2.2 lbs
Adverse effects - Answer undesired effects that is potentially harmful
define the terms Drug tolerance and Drug dependence. - Answer Drug tolerance is defined as
a decreased effect that occurs after repeated administration.
Drug dependence is a condition wherein reliance on the administration of a particular drug
becomes extremely important to the well-being of the individual. This can be psychological and
physical.
side effects - Answer drug effects other than the therapeutic effect that are undesirable but
not harmful.
List the pregnancy drug classes and name the one that is considered most safe for use in
pregnancy. - Answer Pregnancy Category A, B, C, D, X, NR. Pregnancy category A is considered
most safe.
Define receptors and the two different ways in which they can act. - Answer Receptors are
specific cellular structures that bind to drugs, when bind they produce a physiologic effect
*antagonist which interfere with the drugs effects *Agonist witch activate the drug effects
Where is the most common site of drug interactions? - Answer The most common drug
interactions happen when there is competition between two drugs for metabolizing enzymes
within the cytochrome P-450 enzymes
What is the difference between the onset of action and duration of action? - Answer Onset is
the time between drug given to when the effects is seen
, slows the onset of actionDistribution-distribution is increased leading to increased drug effect
due to decreased body water, lean body mass and increased fat contentMetabolism - Drug
metabolism decreases increasing the duration of the drug due to decrease in blood flow to the
liver and decrease in liver enzymesExcretion - Excretion is decreased due to decreased blood
flow to the kidneys and overall decreased renal function as one ages
weight -Most adult dosages are calculated for a 150-pound adult. If a person is significantly
larger or smaller their dose may need to be adjusted.Higher body fat percentage means that
there is less body water for the drug to dissolve in; therefore, they may have a greater response
to the drug.
Sex- hormon based drugs
Genetic - missing enzyme or alteration in how an enzyme works can also make a person either
not respond or respond too much to a particular dug.
Oral is the route of injection and movement through the GI tract
Parental is all other routes that doesn't apply to the GI tract *Sublingual, rectal, transdermal, SC,
IM, IV, Intrathecal, inhalation, topical, vaginal - Answer What is the difference between oral
and parenteral administration?
List the different ways that drugs can interact with receptors. - Answer Agonist- binding with
response
Partial agonist- binding with diminished response
Antagonist- binding with no response/prevents binding
Competitive antagonist- drug will compete for agonist/ if binding occurs no response will
happen
Noncompetitive antagonist- binding with wrong part of receptor inhibit effect/agonist has no
effect
Define the four pharmacokinetic processes Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion. -
Answer Absorption is the movement of a drug from its site of administration into the
bloodstream ready to be distributed throughout the body.
Distribution refers to the transport of a drug by the bloodstream to its site of action.
Metabolism is the biochemical alteration of a drug into an inactive metabolite, a more potent
metabolite, or a less active metabolite.
