D441 Pharmacology Week 2 Practice Quiz 2026 |WGU
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its
site of administration into the bloodstream?
A. Distribution
B. Metabolism
C. Absorption
D. Excretion
Answer: C
Rationale: Absorption is the process by which a drug moves from its site of administration
into the systemic circulation.
2. A patient is receiving a drug that has a narrow therapeutic index. What does
this mean for the nurse?
A. The drug is very safe and requires little monitoring.
B. The drug must be administered via the intravenous route only.
C. The drug will take a long time to reach steady state.
D. There is a high risk for toxicity and requires close monitoring.
Answer: D
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a therapeutic dose
and a toxic dose is very small, necessitating close blood level monitoring.
,3. The first-pass effect primarily occurs when drugs are administered by which
route?
A. Intravenous
B. Transdermal
C. Sublingual
D. Oral
Answer: D
Rationale: Drugs taken orally pass through the liver via the portal vein before reaching
systemic circulation, where they may be significantly metabolized (the first-pass effect).
4. A drug’s half-life is defined as the time required for what to happen?
A. The drug to be completely eliminated from the body.
B. The drug to reach its maximum therapeutic effect.
C. The concentration of the drug in the body to decrease by 50%.
D. The drug to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Answer: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time it takes for the blood level of a drug to decrease by 50%.
5. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of most drugs?
A. Kidneys
B. Liver
C. Lungs
D. Small Intestine
Answer: B
Rationale: The liver is the main site of drug metabolism, largely due to the cytochrome
P450 enzyme system.
, 6. What is the primary protein in the plasma that drugs bind to?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Globulin
C. Albumin
D. Fibrinogen
Answer: C
Rationale: Albumin is the most common blood protein and is the primary protein to which
drugs bind.
7. If a patient has low albumin levels, they are at an increased risk for:
A. Reduced drug effectiveness due to lack of transport.
B. Drug toxicity due to more free drug in the blood.
C. Rapid excretion of the drug by the kidneys.
D. Delayed absorption of the drug from the GI tract.
Answer: B
Rationale: Low albumin means fewer binding sites, leading to more free (active) drug in
the circulation, which increases the risk of toxicity.
8. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximum biological response
is called a(n):
A. Agonist
B. Antagonist
C. Partial Agonist
D. Inhibitor
Answer: A
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and stimulates a response.
1. Which phase of pharmacokinetics involves the movement of a drug from its
site of administration into the bloodstream?
A. Distribution
B. Metabolism
C. Absorption
D. Excretion
Answer: C
Rationale: Absorption is the process by which a drug moves from its site of administration
into the systemic circulation.
2. A patient is receiving a drug that has a narrow therapeutic index. What does
this mean for the nurse?
A. The drug is very safe and requires little monitoring.
B. The drug must be administered via the intravenous route only.
C. The drug will take a long time to reach steady state.
D. There is a high risk for toxicity and requires close monitoring.
Answer: D
Rationale: A narrow therapeutic index means the difference between a therapeutic dose
and a toxic dose is very small, necessitating close blood level monitoring.
,3. The first-pass effect primarily occurs when drugs are administered by which
route?
A. Intravenous
B. Transdermal
C. Sublingual
D. Oral
Answer: D
Rationale: Drugs taken orally pass through the liver via the portal vein before reaching
systemic circulation, where they may be significantly metabolized (the first-pass effect).
4. A drug’s half-life is defined as the time required for what to happen?
A. The drug to be completely eliminated from the body.
B. The drug to reach its maximum therapeutic effect.
C. The concentration of the drug in the body to decrease by 50%.
D. The drug to be absorbed into the bloodstream.
Answer: C
Rationale: Half-life is the time it takes for the blood level of a drug to decrease by 50%.
5. Which organ is primarily responsible for the metabolism of most drugs?
A. Kidneys
B. Liver
C. Lungs
D. Small Intestine
Answer: B
Rationale: The liver is the main site of drug metabolism, largely due to the cytochrome
P450 enzyme system.
, 6. What is the primary protein in the plasma that drugs bind to?
A. Hemoglobin
B. Globulin
C. Albumin
D. Fibrinogen
Answer: C
Rationale: Albumin is the most common blood protein and is the primary protein to which
drugs bind.
7. If a patient has low albumin levels, they are at an increased risk for:
A. Reduced drug effectiveness due to lack of transport.
B. Drug toxicity due to more free drug in the blood.
C. Rapid excretion of the drug by the kidneys.
D. Delayed absorption of the drug from the GI tract.
Answer: B
Rationale: Low albumin means fewer binding sites, leading to more free (active) drug in
the circulation, which increases the risk of toxicity.
8. A drug that binds to a receptor and produces a maximum biological response
is called a(n):
A. Agonist
B. Antagonist
C. Partial Agonist
D. Inhibitor
Answer: A
Rationale: An agonist is a drug that binds to a receptor and stimulates a response.
