NURS 617 PHARMACOTHERAPEUTICS EXAM 1, 2 & FINAL
EXAM PREP WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES | ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW VERSION!!
UNIT 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS (Q1-Q35)
Q1. A nurse is reviewing pharmacokinetics. Which sequence correctly describes
the
movement of a drug through the body?
A. Metabolism, Absorption, Distribution, Excretion
B. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C. Distribution, Absorption, Excretion, Metabolism
D. Excretion, Metabolism, Distribution, Absorption
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is remembered by ADME: Absorption (drug enters
bloodstream), Distribution (drug moves to tissues), Metabolism
(biotransformation,
primarily hepatic), Excretion (removal, primarily renal). Option B is the only
correct order. This is the foundational concept tested on nearly every exam.
Q2. Which statement best defines pharmacodynamics?
A. What the body does to the drug
B. What the drug does to the body
C. The study of drug pricing
D. The study of drug storage
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics = what the drug does to the body, including
receptor
binding, mechanism of action, dose-response relationships, and toxicity.
Pharmacokinetics = what the body does to the drug (ADME).
1
,Q3. Which factor would MOST increase the rate of oral drug absorption?
A. Taking the drug with a high-fat meal
B. Taking the drug on an empty stomach
C. Taking the drug with grapefruit juice
D. Taking the drug with a large glass of milk
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An empty stomach accelerates gastric emptying, moving drug to the
small intestine (primary absorption site) faster. High-fat meals delay gastric
emptying. Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4 and affects metabolism, not
absorption
rate. Milk chelates some drugs (tetracyclines) and reduces absorption.
Q4. A patient with cirrhosis has a serum albumin of 2.1 g/dL. Which
pharmacokinetic phase is MOST directly affected?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Excretion
D. Bioavailability
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Albumin is the primary binding protein for acidic drugs.
Hypoalbuminemia
reduces binding sites, increasing free (unbound) drug fraction and toxicity risk.
This is a DISTRIBUTION problem. Cirrhosis also impairs metabolism, but the
albumin
finding specifically points to distribution.
Q5. Which statement best describes the first-pass effect?
2
,A. Drug is excreted unchanged in urine before reaching target tissue
B. Drug is metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation
C. Drug crosses the blood-brain barrier on the first pass
D. Drug binds plasma proteins on the first pass
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After oral absorption, drug travels via the portal vein to the liver
BEFORE entering systemic circulation, where a portion is metabolized. This
reduces bioavailability. Drugs with heavy first-pass effect (nitroglycerin,
propranolol, morphine) are often given sublingually, IV, or rectally.
Q6. Which route provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Intramuscular
C. Intravenous
D. Subcutaneous
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: IV administration delivers drug directly into systemic circulation,
bypassing absorption barriers entirely. Bioavailability is 100% by definition.
All other routes are less than 100%.
Q7. A drug has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how long until steady state
is reached with continuous dosing?
A. 8 hours
B. 16 hours
C. 40 hours
D. 80 hours
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Steady state is reached after approximately 4-5 half-lives. 5 x 8 = 40
hours. This is a high-yield calculation concept: 4 half-lives = ~94% of steady
3
, state; 5 half-lives = ~97%.
Q8. A drug has a half-life of 6 hours. Approximately how long until the drug is
considered fully eliminated?
A. 12 hours
B. 18 hours
C. 24 hours
D. 30 hours
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Complete elimination requires approximately 5 half-lives. 5 x 6 = 30
hours. Note: steady state AND elimination both use the 4-5 half-life rule.
Q9. Which pharmacokinetic parameter is MOST important when calculating a
LOADING dose?
A. Half-life
B. Volume of distribution
C. Clearance
D. Protein binding
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loading dose = (Vd x desired plasma concentration) / F (bioavailability).
Volume of distribution determines how much drug is needed to "fill" the body's
compartment to reach therapeutic levels. Clearance and half-life determine
MAINTENANCE dosing, not loading.
Q10. Which pharmacokinetic parameter is MOST important when calculating a
MAINTENANCE dose?
A. Volume of distribution
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EXAM PREP WITH COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS WITH DETAILED RATIONALES | ALREADY GRADED
A+||BRAND NEW VERSION!!
UNIT 1: PHARMACOKINETICS & PHARMACODYNAMICS (Q1-Q35)
Q1. A nurse is reviewing pharmacokinetics. Which sequence correctly describes
the
movement of a drug through the body?
A. Metabolism, Absorption, Distribution, Excretion
B. Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion
C. Distribution, Absorption, Excretion, Metabolism
D. Excretion, Metabolism, Distribution, Absorption
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacokinetics is remembered by ADME: Absorption (drug enters
bloodstream), Distribution (drug moves to tissues), Metabolism
(biotransformation,
primarily hepatic), Excretion (removal, primarily renal). Option B is the only
correct order. This is the foundational concept tested on nearly every exam.
Q2. Which statement best defines pharmacodynamics?
A. What the body does to the drug
B. What the drug does to the body
C. The study of drug pricing
D. The study of drug storage
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Pharmacodynamics = what the drug does to the body, including
receptor
binding, mechanism of action, dose-response relationships, and toxicity.
Pharmacokinetics = what the body does to the drug (ADME).
1
,Q3. Which factor would MOST increase the rate of oral drug absorption?
A. Taking the drug with a high-fat meal
B. Taking the drug on an empty stomach
C. Taking the drug with grapefruit juice
D. Taking the drug with a large glass of milk
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: An empty stomach accelerates gastric emptying, moving drug to the
small intestine (primary absorption site) faster. High-fat meals delay gastric
emptying. Grapefruit juice inhibits CYP3A4 and affects metabolism, not
absorption
rate. Milk chelates some drugs (tetracyclines) and reduces absorption.
Q4. A patient with cirrhosis has a serum albumin of 2.1 g/dL. Which
pharmacokinetic phase is MOST directly affected?
A. Absorption
B. Distribution
C. Excretion
D. Bioavailability
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Albumin is the primary binding protein for acidic drugs.
Hypoalbuminemia
reduces binding sites, increasing free (unbound) drug fraction and toxicity risk.
This is a DISTRIBUTION problem. Cirrhosis also impairs metabolism, but the
albumin
finding specifically points to distribution.
Q5. Which statement best describes the first-pass effect?
2
,A. Drug is excreted unchanged in urine before reaching target tissue
B. Drug is metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation
C. Drug crosses the blood-brain barrier on the first pass
D. Drug binds plasma proteins on the first pass
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: After oral absorption, drug travels via the portal vein to the liver
BEFORE entering systemic circulation, where a portion is metabolized. This
reduces bioavailability. Drugs with heavy first-pass effect (nitroglycerin,
propranolol, morphine) are often given sublingually, IV, or rectally.
Q6. Which route provides 100% bioavailability?
A. Oral
B. Intramuscular
C. Intravenous
D. Subcutaneous
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: IV administration delivers drug directly into systemic circulation,
bypassing absorption barriers entirely. Bioavailability is 100% by definition.
All other routes are less than 100%.
Q7. A drug has a half-life of 8 hours. Approximately how long until steady state
is reached with continuous dosing?
A. 8 hours
B. 16 hours
C. 40 hours
D. 80 hours
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Steady state is reached after approximately 4-5 half-lives. 5 x 8 = 40
hours. This is a high-yield calculation concept: 4 half-lives = ~94% of steady
3
, state; 5 half-lives = ~97%.
Q8. A drug has a half-life of 6 hours. Approximately how long until the drug is
considered fully eliminated?
A. 12 hours
B. 18 hours
C. 24 hours
D. 30 hours
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Complete elimination requires approximately 5 half-lives. 5 x 6 = 30
hours. Note: steady state AND elimination both use the 4-5 half-life rule.
Q9. Which pharmacokinetic parameter is MOST important when calculating a
LOADING dose?
A. Half-life
B. Volume of distribution
C. Clearance
D. Protein binding
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Loading dose = (Vd x desired plasma concentration) / F (bioavailability).
Volume of distribution determines how much drug is needed to "fill" the body's
compartment to reach therapeutic levels. Clearance and half-life determine
MAINTENANCE dosing, not loading.
Q10. Which pharmacokinetic parameter is MOST important when calculating a
MAINTENANCE dose?
A. Volume of distribution
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