NURS 615/NURS 615 Pharm Exam 1: 100% Verified Questions & Answers: Latest Updated

What is the efficacy of a drug? (Ans- Efficacy is the maximum response achievable from a drug. Effectiveness refers to the ability of the drug to produce a beneficial effect. On the drug concentration curve what is the first sign of a therapeutic effect? (Ans- The onset of action What is the purpose of a peak and trough level? (Ans- To determine if the drug is in therapeutic range. Describe the purpose of blood brain barrier (AnsThe BBB is a highly selective permeability barrier that separates the circulating blood from the brain and extracellular fluid in the CNS. The BBB is formed by brain endothelial cells which are connected by tight junctions with an extremely high electrical resistivity of at least 0.1 micron. The BBB allows the passage of water, some gases, and lipid soluble molecules by passive diffusion as well as the selective transport molecules such as glucose and amino acids that are crucial to neuro function.Describe the purpose of the fetal placental barrier (Ans- the so-called placental barrier impedes certain chemicals although it allows most fat soluble chemicals to cross. Drugs that are more water soluble and that possess a higher molecular weight tend not to cross the placental barrier. In addition, if a drug binds to a large molecule, such as a blood-borne protein like albumin, it is even less likely to come into contact with fetus. How will renal insufficiency affect drug elimination? (AnsThe kidney is the primary organ of excretion for most drugs. General theme of metabolism is to produce drug metabolites that are more water soluble and more easily removed by the kidneys. The rate at which the drug is excreted by the kidneys depends on several factors. Renal blood flow influences the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) which is how much plasma is filtered per minute by the glomerulus.