Pharmacology (Ford, McCuistion, etc.) –
Core Concepts Study Review 2025/2026
Section 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
1. What is the definition of Pharmacology?
A) The study of diseases and their treatments.
B) The study of the body's physiological functions.
✓ C) The study of drugs and their interactions with living systems.
D) The study of poisonous substances.
2. What does Pharmacokinetics describe?
A) What the drug does to the body.
✓ B) What the body does to the drug (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion).
C) The therapeutic effects of a drug.
D) The chemical structure of a drug.
3. The process by which a drug enters the bloodstream from its site of administration is
called:
✓ A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
4. The primary organ for drug metabolism is the:
A) Kidney
✓ B) Liver
C) Lung
D) Stomach
5. The primary organ for drug excretion is the:
✓ A) Kidney
B) Liver
C) Lung
D) Intestine
6. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation is known as:
A) Half-life
B) Therapeutic Index
, ✓ C) Bioavailability
D) Volume of Distribution
7. What is the First-Pass Effect?
A) The initial effect a drug has when it first enters the body.
✓ B) The metabolism of a drug in the liver before it reaches systemic circulation.
C) The first dose of a medication regimen.
D) The body's initial immune response to a drug.
8. The time it takes for the plasma concentration of a drug to be reduced by 50% is its:
✓ A) Half-life
B) Steady State
C) Peak Level
D) Onset of Action
9. What does Pharmacodynamics describe?
✓ A) What the drug does to the body (mechanism of action, effects).
B) What the body does to the drug.
C) The movement of drugs through the body.
D) The genetic factors affecting drug response.
10. An agonist is a drug that:
✓ A) Binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a response.
B) Binds to a receptor and prevents activation by other agents.
C) Has no intrinsic activity.
D) Destroys receptor sites.
11. An antagonist is a drug that:
A) Binds to a receptor and activates it.
✓ B) Binds to a receptor and blocks or dampens a biological response.
C) Enhances the effect of another drug.
D) Is used to treat agonist overdoses.
12. The Therapeutic Index (TI) is a measure of a drug's:
A) Potency
B) Efficacy
✓ C) Safety (ratio of toxic dose to therapeutic dose)
D) Cost-effectiveness
13. A drug with a narrow therapeutic index requires:
A) Less frequent monitoring.
, ✓ B) Close monitoring of plasma levels and patient response.
C) Higher doses for effect.
D) No special considerations.
14. What is a prodrug?
A) A drug that is highly potent.
B) A drug that is always administered intravenously.
✓ C) An inactive drug that is metabolized into an active form.
D) A drug used for professional athletes.
15. Steady state is achieved after approximately how many half-lives?
A) 1-2
✓ B) 4-5
C) 8-10
D) 10-12
Section 2: Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Pharmacology
16. The neurotransmitter released by all preganglionic autonomic neurons is:
A) Norepinephrine
✓ B) Acetylcholine (ACh)
C) Dopamine
D) Epinephrine
17. Drugs that mimic the effects of Epinephrine/Norepinephrine are called:
A) Cholinergics
✓ B) Adrenergics (Sympathomimetics)
C) Beta-blockers
D) Anticholinergics
18. What is the primary use of Beta-blockers (e.g., Metoprolol)?
A) To increase heart rate.
✓ B) To treat hypertension, angina, and heart failure by decreasing heart rate and
contractility.
C) To cause bronchodilation.
D) To stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.
19. A patient taking a non-selective beta-blocker must be cautioned about what potential
problem?
A) Hypoglycemia
✓ B) Bronchoconstriction (can be dangerous for asthmatics)
, C) Severe hypertension
D) Excessive salivation
20. What is the effect of an Alpha-1 agonist (e.g., Phenylephrine)?
A) Vasodilation
✓ B) Vasoconstriction (used as a decongestant)
C) Decreased heart rate
D) Bronchodilation
21. Drugs that mimic the effects of Acetylcholine are called:
✓ A) Cholinergics (Parasympathomimetics)
B) Adrenergics
C) Sympatholytics
D) Neuromuscular blockers
22. What is the antidote for Atropine (an anticholinergic) overdose?
A) Naloxone
✓ B) Physostigmine
C) Flumazenil
D) Activated Charcoal
23. Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, is used to treat:
A) Hypertension
B) Tachycardia
✓ C) Urinary retention (it stimulates bladder contraction)
D) Diarrhea
24. What is the mechanism of action of Atropine?
A) It blocks nicotinic receptors.
✓ B) It blocks muscarinic receptors.
C) It stimulates beta-2 receptors.
D) It inhibits acetylcholinesterase.
25. Myasthenia Gravis is treated with drugs that inhibit acetylcholinesterase, such as:
A) Atropine
B) Succinylcholine
✓ C) Pyridostigmine
D) Donepezil
Section 3: Cardiovascular & Renal Pharmacology
Core Concepts Study Review 2025/2026
Section 1: Pharmacokinetics & Pharmacodynamics
1. What is the definition of Pharmacology?
A) The study of diseases and their treatments.
B) The study of the body's physiological functions.
✓ C) The study of drugs and their interactions with living systems.
D) The study of poisonous substances.
2. What does Pharmacokinetics describe?
A) What the drug does to the body.
✓ B) What the body does to the drug (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, Excretion).
C) The therapeutic effects of a drug.
D) The chemical structure of a drug.
3. The process by which a drug enters the bloodstream from its site of administration is
called:
✓ A) Absorption
B) Distribution
C) Metabolism
D) Excretion
4. The primary organ for drug metabolism is the:
A) Kidney
✓ B) Liver
C) Lung
D) Stomach
5. The primary organ for drug excretion is the:
✓ A) Kidney
B) Liver
C) Lung
D) Intestine
6. The fraction of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation is known as:
A) Half-life
B) Therapeutic Index
, ✓ C) Bioavailability
D) Volume of Distribution
7. What is the First-Pass Effect?
A) The initial effect a drug has when it first enters the body.
✓ B) The metabolism of a drug in the liver before it reaches systemic circulation.
C) The first dose of a medication regimen.
D) The body's initial immune response to a drug.
8. The time it takes for the plasma concentration of a drug to be reduced by 50% is its:
✓ A) Half-life
B) Steady State
C) Peak Level
D) Onset of Action
9. What does Pharmacodynamics describe?
✓ A) What the drug does to the body (mechanism of action, effects).
B) What the body does to the drug.
C) The movement of drugs through the body.
D) The genetic factors affecting drug response.
10. An agonist is a drug that:
✓ A) Binds to a receptor and activates it, producing a response.
B) Binds to a receptor and prevents activation by other agents.
C) Has no intrinsic activity.
D) Destroys receptor sites.
11. An antagonist is a drug that:
A) Binds to a receptor and activates it.
✓ B) Binds to a receptor and blocks or dampens a biological response.
C) Enhances the effect of another drug.
D) Is used to treat agonist overdoses.
12. The Therapeutic Index (TI) is a measure of a drug's:
A) Potency
B) Efficacy
✓ C) Safety (ratio of toxic dose to therapeutic dose)
D) Cost-effectiveness
13. A drug with a narrow therapeutic index requires:
A) Less frequent monitoring.
, ✓ B) Close monitoring of plasma levels and patient response.
C) Higher doses for effect.
D) No special considerations.
14. What is a prodrug?
A) A drug that is highly potent.
B) A drug that is always administered intravenously.
✓ C) An inactive drug that is metabolized into an active form.
D) A drug used for professional athletes.
15. Steady state is achieved after approximately how many half-lives?
A) 1-2
✓ B) 4-5
C) 8-10
D) 10-12
Section 2: Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Pharmacology
16. The neurotransmitter released by all preganglionic autonomic neurons is:
A) Norepinephrine
✓ B) Acetylcholine (ACh)
C) Dopamine
D) Epinephrine
17. Drugs that mimic the effects of Epinephrine/Norepinephrine are called:
A) Cholinergics
✓ B) Adrenergics (Sympathomimetics)
C) Beta-blockers
D) Anticholinergics
18. What is the primary use of Beta-blockers (e.g., Metoprolol)?
A) To increase heart rate.
✓ B) To treat hypertension, angina, and heart failure by decreasing heart rate and
contractility.
C) To cause bronchodilation.
D) To stimulate the gastrointestinal tract.
19. A patient taking a non-selective beta-blocker must be cautioned about what potential
problem?
A) Hypoglycemia
✓ B) Bronchoconstriction (can be dangerous for asthmatics)
, C) Severe hypertension
D) Excessive salivation
20. What is the effect of an Alpha-1 agonist (e.g., Phenylephrine)?
A) Vasodilation
✓ B) Vasoconstriction (used as a decongestant)
C) Decreased heart rate
D) Bronchodilation
21. Drugs that mimic the effects of Acetylcholine are called:
✓ A) Cholinergics (Parasympathomimetics)
B) Adrenergics
C) Sympatholytics
D) Neuromuscular blockers
22. What is the antidote for Atropine (an anticholinergic) overdose?
A) Naloxone
✓ B) Physostigmine
C) Flumazenil
D) Activated Charcoal
23. Bethanechol, a cholinergic agonist, is used to treat:
A) Hypertension
B) Tachycardia
✓ C) Urinary retention (it stimulates bladder contraction)
D) Diarrhea
24. What is the mechanism of action of Atropine?
A) It blocks nicotinic receptors.
✓ B) It blocks muscarinic receptors.
C) It stimulates beta-2 receptors.
D) It inhibits acetylcholinesterase.
25. Myasthenia Gravis is treated with drugs that inhibit acetylcholinesterase, such as:
A) Atropine
B) Succinylcholine
✓ C) Pyridostigmine
D) Donepezil
Section 3: Cardiovascular & Renal Pharmacology
