ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
MOA - ANSWER Skeletal muscle relaxant: Similar to acetylcholine (Ach), it produces
depolarization at the myoneural junction.
It has a high affinity for Ach receptor sites and is resistant to acetylcholinesterase, thus
producing a more prolonged depolarization.
Possesses histamine-releasing properties.
Succinylcholine (anectine)
Depolarizing NM blocking agent
indications - ANSWER Medication facilitated intubation after administration of
sedation/analgesia
usually considered agent of choice due to short duration and rapid onset
Succinylcholine (anectine)
Depolarizing NM blocking agent
Contraindications - ANSWER Hypersensitivity
Penetrating ocular trauma or glaucoma
pseudocholinesterase deficiency
Known family of personal history of malignant hyperthermia
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
Patients in whom hyperkalemia may be dangerous:
- chronic renal failure with unknown potassium levels
- patients with spastic muscles (eg. muscular dystrophy, spastic paralysis)
-burn and crush injury patients (12 hours or more post injury)
Explain Pharmacokinetics - ANSWER The study of how drugs are moved through the body
and are encompassed in mechanisms of:
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Think Kinetic (movement)
Pharmacodynamics - ANSWER study of the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs
on the body
Think Dynamic (change)
majority of drugs either
(a) mimic or inhibit normal physiological/biochemical processes or inhibit pathological
processes in animals or
(b) inhibit vital processes of endo- or ectoparasites and microbial organisms
Summarize the main drug actions - ANSWER 1 - stimulating action through direct
receptor agonism and downstream effects
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
2 - depressing action through direct receptor agonism and downstream effects (ex.: inverse
agonist)
3- blocking/antagonizing action (as with silent antagonists), the drug binds the receptor but
does not activate it
4- stabilizing action, the drug seems to act neither as a stimulant or as a depressant 5-
exchanging/replacing substances or accumulating them to form a reserve (ex.: glycogen
storage)
Desired activity is achieved through what main mechanisms? - ANSWER -Cellular membrane
disruption
-Chemical reaction with downstream effects
-Interaction with enzyme proteins
-Interaction with structural proteins
-Interaction with carrier proteins
-Interaction with ion channels
-Ligand binding to receptors: 1)Hormone receptors 2) Neuromodulator receptors
3)Neurotransmitter receptors
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
Explain the therapeutic window - ANSWER therapeutic window is the amount of a
medication between the amount that gives an effect (effective dose) and the amount that
gives more adverse effects than desired effects
Duration of action - ANSWER duration of action of a drug is the length of time that
particular drug is effective
Explain bioavailability - ANSWER drug's bioavailability can be defined as the proportion of the
drug that reaches its site of action
6 rights to medication administration - ANSWER RIGHT CLIENT RIGHT
MEDICATION
RIGHT DOSAGE
RIGHT ROUTE
RIGHT TIME
RIGHT DOCUMENTATION
Potency - ANSWER potency is a measure of drug activity expressed in terms of the amount
required to produce an effect of given intensity
(more morphine is needed to give the same effects as fentanyl)
Efficacy - ANSWER Efficacy is the relationship between receptor occupancy and the ability to
initiate a response at the molecular, cellular, tissue or system level. In other words, efficacy refers
to how well an action is took after the drug is bound to a receptor
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
MOA - ANSWER Skeletal muscle relaxant: Similar to acetylcholine (Ach), it produces
depolarization at the myoneural junction.
It has a high affinity for Ach receptor sites and is resistant to acetylcholinesterase, thus
producing a more prolonged depolarization.
Possesses histamine-releasing properties.
Succinylcholine (anectine)
Depolarizing NM blocking agent
indications - ANSWER Medication facilitated intubation after administration of
sedation/analgesia
usually considered agent of choice due to short duration and rapid onset
Succinylcholine (anectine)
Depolarizing NM blocking agent
Contraindications - ANSWER Hypersensitivity
Penetrating ocular trauma or glaucoma
pseudocholinesterase deficiency
Known family of personal history of malignant hyperthermia
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
Patients in whom hyperkalemia may be dangerous:
- chronic renal failure with unknown potassium levels
- patients with spastic muscles (eg. muscular dystrophy, spastic paralysis)
-burn and crush injury patients (12 hours or more post injury)
Explain Pharmacokinetics - ANSWER The study of how drugs are moved through the body
and are encompassed in mechanisms of:
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Think Kinetic (movement)
Pharmacodynamics - ANSWER study of the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs
on the body
Think Dynamic (change)
majority of drugs either
(a) mimic or inhibit normal physiological/biochemical processes or inhibit pathological
processes in animals or
(b) inhibit vital processes of endo- or ectoparasites and microbial organisms
Summarize the main drug actions - ANSWER 1 - stimulating action through direct
receptor agonism and downstream effects
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
2 - depressing action through direct receptor agonism and downstream effects (ex.: inverse
agonist)
3- blocking/antagonizing action (as with silent antagonists), the drug binds the receptor but
does not activate it
4- stabilizing action, the drug seems to act neither as a stimulant or as a depressant 5-
exchanging/replacing substances or accumulating them to form a reserve (ex.: glycogen
storage)
Desired activity is achieved through what main mechanisms? - ANSWER -Cellular membrane
disruption
-Chemical reaction with downstream effects
-Interaction with enzyme proteins
-Interaction with structural proteins
-Interaction with carrier proteins
-Interaction with ion channels
-Ligand binding to receptors: 1)Hormone receptors 2) Neuromodulator receptors
3)Neurotransmitter receptors
, ADVANCED
PHARMACOLOGY EXAM
QUESTIONS WITH CORRECT
ANSWERS WELL RATED
Explain the therapeutic window - ANSWER therapeutic window is the amount of a
medication between the amount that gives an effect (effective dose) and the amount that
gives more adverse effects than desired effects
Duration of action - ANSWER duration of action of a drug is the length of time that
particular drug is effective
Explain bioavailability - ANSWER drug's bioavailability can be defined as the proportion of the
drug that reaches its site of action
6 rights to medication administration - ANSWER RIGHT CLIENT RIGHT
MEDICATION
RIGHT DOSAGE
RIGHT ROUTE
RIGHT TIME
RIGHT DOCUMENTATION
Potency - ANSWER potency is a measure of drug activity expressed in terms of the amount
required to produce an effect of given intensity
(more morphine is needed to give the same effects as fentanyl)
Efficacy - ANSWER Efficacy is the relationship between receptor occupancy and the ability to
initiate a response at the molecular, cellular, tissue or system level. In other words, efficacy refers
to how well an action is took after the drug is bound to a receptor
