PHARMACOLOGY EXAM 1 2026
Questions and Answers
drugs that produce a response - Answer -agonist
drugs that prevent or block a response - Answer -antagonist
What is the therapuetic window? - Answer -level of the drug between minimal
effective concentration in the plasma for obtaining desired drug response and the
minimal toxic concentration
What is half life? - Answer -The time it takes for one half of the drug concentration
to be eliminated from the body is
If a drug has a long half life, how often should it be taken? - Answer -once per day
What is a patient on two highly protein bound drugs at risk for? - Answer -
accumulation and toxicity
What is tolerance? - Answer -a decreased responsiveness over the course of
therapy, which may lead to the need to increase dosages to attain the same effect
What makes drugs fit into the same "Class" - Answer --related by chemical
structure
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,-work in the same way
-used for the same purpose
Before administering beta blockers, you should check what two vital signs? -
Answer -Heart rate
Blood pressure
Who would you not give a beta blocker to? Why? - Answer -Asthmatic;
bronchospasm
What kind of drug is metoclopramide (Reglan) - Answer -cholinergic
Cholinergics do what to the body? (SLUD) - Answer -Salivation
Lacrimation
Urination
Defecation
Anticholinergics do what to the body - Answer -Can't see, Can't spit, Can't pee,
Can't shit
Symptoms of cholinergic crisis - Answer -Flushing, Sweating, Nausea, Abdominal
cramps
What drug would you give to treat cholinergic crisis? - Answer -atropine
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,Anticholinergics are contraindicated in which clients? - Answer --coronary artery
disease (Increase heart rate)
-GI obstruction (constipates)
-supraventricular tachycardia (increased heart rate)
CNS stimulants are contraindicated in which clients? - Answer --coronary artery
disease (cause vasoconstriction=heart attack)
-Hypertension (additive hypertension=stroke)
Most common side effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) - Answer --irritability
-insomnia
-weight loss
-decreased appetite
Signs of hemorrhagic stroke - Answer --increased B/P
-increased heart rate
-increased respiratory rate
-unresponsive to deep pain
Benzodiazepines increase the activity of which neurotransmitter - Answer -GABA
Reversal agent of benzodiazepines - Answer -Flumazenil
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, zolpidem (Ambien) side effects - Answer --sedative/hypnotic (nonbenzodiazepine)
-suicidal ideation
-dependence
-abnormal behavior
What is the drug of choice for treating status epilepticus - Answer -diazepam
phenytoin (Dilantin) side effects - Answer -GINGIVAL HYPERPLASIA
-treat seizures
-cause high blood sugar
-cause birth defects
-decrease effectiveness of anticoagulants
When a client is on phenytoin (Dilantin) what are some nursing interventions -
Answer --monitor for narrow therapeutic index (frequent blood test)
-take as prescribed
-oral care
-teach pt to use barrier contraceptives along with oral
What is the therapeutic range for phenytoin (Dilantin) - Answer -10-20 ug/mL
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Questions and Answers
drugs that produce a response - Answer -agonist
drugs that prevent or block a response - Answer -antagonist
What is the therapuetic window? - Answer -level of the drug between minimal
effective concentration in the plasma for obtaining desired drug response and the
minimal toxic concentration
What is half life? - Answer -The time it takes for one half of the drug concentration
to be eliminated from the body is
If a drug has a long half life, how often should it be taken? - Answer -once per day
What is a patient on two highly protein bound drugs at risk for? - Answer -
accumulation and toxicity
What is tolerance? - Answer -a decreased responsiveness over the course of
therapy, which may lead to the need to increase dosages to attain the same effect
What makes drugs fit into the same "Class" - Answer --related by chemical
structure
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1
,-work in the same way
-used for the same purpose
Before administering beta blockers, you should check what two vital signs? -
Answer -Heart rate
Blood pressure
Who would you not give a beta blocker to? Why? - Answer -Asthmatic;
bronchospasm
What kind of drug is metoclopramide (Reglan) - Answer -cholinergic
Cholinergics do what to the body? (SLUD) - Answer -Salivation
Lacrimation
Urination
Defecation
Anticholinergics do what to the body - Answer -Can't see, Can't spit, Can't pee,
Can't shit
Symptoms of cholinergic crisis - Answer -Flushing, Sweating, Nausea, Abdominal
cramps
What drug would you give to treat cholinergic crisis? - Answer -atropine
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 2
,Anticholinergics are contraindicated in which clients? - Answer --coronary artery
disease (Increase heart rate)
-GI obstruction (constipates)
-supraventricular tachycardia (increased heart rate)
CNS stimulants are contraindicated in which clients? - Answer --coronary artery
disease (cause vasoconstriction=heart attack)
-Hypertension (additive hypertension=stroke)
Most common side effects of methylphenidate (Ritalin) - Answer --irritability
-insomnia
-weight loss
-decreased appetite
Signs of hemorrhagic stroke - Answer --increased B/P
-increased heart rate
-increased respiratory rate
-unresponsive to deep pain
Benzodiazepines increase the activity of which neurotransmitter - Answer -GABA
Reversal agent of benzodiazepines - Answer -Flumazenil
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 3
, zolpidem (Ambien) side effects - Answer --sedative/hypnotic (nonbenzodiazepine)
-suicidal ideation
-dependence
-abnormal behavior
What is the drug of choice for treating status epilepticus - Answer -diazepam
phenytoin (Dilantin) side effects - Answer -GINGIVAL HYPERPLASIA
-treat seizures
-cause high blood sugar
-cause birth defects
-decrease effectiveness of anticoagulants
When a client is on phenytoin (Dilantin) what are some nursing interventions -
Answer --monitor for narrow therapeutic index (frequent blood test)
-take as prescribed
-oral care
-teach pt to use barrier contraceptives along with oral
What is the therapeutic range for phenytoin (Dilantin) - Answer -10-20 ug/mL
©COPYRIGHT 2025, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 4
