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NUR 210 Exam 1 Study Guide Principles of Pharmacology Galen College of Nursing PDF | Complete and Updated Notes Covering Core Pharmacology Concepts, Drug Classifications, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Nursing Responsibilities | Includes Practice

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The NUR 210 Exam 1 Study Guide – Principles of Pharmacology (Galen College of Nursing) provides complete, easy-to-understand notes designed to simplify complex pharmacology topics. It covers foundational concepts, drug classifications, mechanisms of action, and safe medication practices. With rationalized practice questions and clear explanations, this guide guarantees success for nursing students preparing for their first pharmacology exam, helping you achieve a 100% passing score with confidence.

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NUR 210 Exam 1 Study Guide
Principles of Pharmacology - Galen
100% Guarantee passing score


NUR 210 PHARMACOLOGY
Exam 1 Unit 1-3
Unit 1 (chp 1, 3, 7, 9, 10)
Unit 2 (Chp 18, 24, 25)
Unit 3 (Chp 17, 19, 22, 23)


Unit 1
- Nursing Process - ADPIE
o Concept
o Assessment
o Patient problems (diagnosis)
o Planning
o Nursing interventions
o Evaluation

Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, & Pharmacogenetics
- Pharmacokinetics
o What the body does to the drug
o Kinetics = movement
o Movement throughout body to drug
o Drug Phases: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
o Absorption
▪ Happens in small intestine
▪ Disintegration
Breakdown of oral drug to small particles
▪ Dissolution
Process of combining small drug particles with liquid to form a solution
▪ Drug absorption

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Drug movement from GI tract to bloodstream


▪ Factors affecting:
Fillers in pill can effect how fast/slow gets absorbed
Enteric coating = extended release to be absorbed slower
What else is in stomach will effect absorption
● **CANT TAKE ANYTHING WITH ANTACID
● NO ALCOHOL OR GRAPEFRUIT
▪ Route of administration
● Order: IV, IM, Subcutaneous, Oral, Topical
▪ First-pass effect
● Only occurs in oral medications


● When drugs are absorbed in small intestine then go through portal vein to
liver
● Lose part of medication as it goes through process
● Active or free drug – medication that is still working
● Inactive drugs – you lose it through this process
● Never have 100% of medication when taking ORAL medication due to
this effect because it travels through GI tract
▪ Bioavailability
● Percentage left of medication
● Oral will never be 100% due to first-pass metabolism
o Other routes always 100%
● Drug form (extended release vs immediate)
● Depends on route of administration/absorption
● Gastric mucosa and motility
● Administration with food and other drugs
● Changes in liver metabolism
o Distribution
▪ Mainly blood stream
▪ Movement of drug from circulation to body tissue
▪ Drug should be easily distributed if good perfusion
▪ **PROTEIN BINDING
● Protein in body is albumin
● Depends on how nourished you are
● Some drugs that are protein binding drugs
o Once it binds to protein it becomes inactive
o If low albumin at risk for drug toxicity
o Concern for pediatric and geriatric
● If you give multiple protein binding drugs at once there is not enough
protein, one drug may be less effective, one drug may be too effective
● Protein binding drugs bind to protein and the rest circulates to body to do
job of medication
o Metabolism (biotransformation)
▪ Occurs in liver
▪ Process of body chemically changing drug into a form to be excreted

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▪ **Half-life (t ½)
● The time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to be reduced by
half
● How long it takes to excrete 50% of drug
● Every drug has a different half life
● If the half-life is long and takes a long time to get to therapeutic level
give loading dose
▪ Loading dose
● Usually double dose for the first one then regular dose
● Gets to therapeutic range quicker




o Excretion (elimination)
▪ Mainly occurs in kidneys
● Can also excrete in other ways (not as much)
▪ Excrete free drugs left over
▪ Body can only absorb so much the rest gets excreted
▪ Should not be excreting protein therefore you should not be excreting the drugs
that bind to protein
▪ Kidney function: Creatinine, BUN, GFR (Glomerular filtration rate)
● Creatinine is most sensitive test
- Pharmacodynamics
o What the drug does to the body
o Primary effect
▪ Desirable response
● What you want to happen
o Secondary effect
▪ Desirable or undesirable
▪ What it is not intended for
▪ Example: Viagra – not originally intended for that use
o Therapeutic index
▪ ED 50 = Effective dose (on 50% of population)
● Dose that gives therapeutic desired response in 50% of population
▪ TD 50 = Toxic effect (on 50% of population)
● Toxic response in 50% of population
▪ Therapeutic index
● In between ED50 and TD50
▪ Therapeutic drug monitoring
● Peak = when drug reaches highest concentration in your body
o **Oral medication 2-3 hours after is peak




o **IV 30-60 minutes to reach peak
o You would draw labs at this time to check peak level



Trough = lowest plasma concentration in blood (how much is left)
o **Doesn’t matter what route of administration

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o **Draw lab right before you give dose
o If trough is too high body is not absorbing/excreting like it
should
▪ Becomes toxic
o If trough is too low, antibiotic is not doing what it should, dose
needs to be increased
▪ Drug toxicity
● Drug level exceeds therapeutic range
o Onset
▪ Time it takes for drug to reach minimum effective concentration
o Duration
▪ How long a drug exerts a therapeutic effect




o Receptor theory
▪ Drug binds to receptor to do what it needs to do
● Ex. Attach to pain receptor to relieve pain
● To either activate receptor or block receptor depending on desired
effect/medication
▪ Agonist
● Activates receptors
● Produce desired response
● Continue to agonize = do what you want
▪ Antagonist
● Precent receptor activation
● Block response or produce a desired response
● Ex. Narcan for overdose of morphine
o Side effect
▪ Secondary drug effect
▪ Usually get better with continued use
▪ Expected effects
o Adverse reactions
▪ Mild to severe
▪ Undesirable effects
▪ Usually get worse with continuing use
▪ Provider needs to be notified – not expected effects
o Drug interactions
▪ Altered drug effect due to interaction with another drug
o Pharmacokinetic interactions
▪ Changes occurring in absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion
o Additive (NO QUESTIONS)
▪ Sum of effects of two drugs
Ex. 2+2=4
o Synergistic (NO QUESTIONS)
▪ Effect is much greater than effects of either drug alone
Ex. 2+2<4
o Drug-nutrient interactions
▪ Food may increase, decrease, or delay drug response
o Drug-laboratory interactions
▪ Drugs may cause changes in test results

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