Advanced Pharmacology for
Prescribers: Decision-Making in
Practice
⫸ What factors are associated with clinical judgment when prescribing
medications? Answer: Patient's age, weight, sex, pregnancy status,
diagnosis, severity of illness, comorbid conditions, kidney and liver
function, current medications, allergies, previous responses to drugs,
lifestyle factors, cost and access to medications, evidence based
guidelines, and the prescriber's knowledge and experience.
⫸ What are the criteria for choosing an effective drug? Answer:
Demonstrated effectiveness for the condition, safety and tolerability,
appropriateness for the patient's age and health status, ease of
administration, likelihood of adherence, minimal drug interactions,
affordability, and availability.
⫸ What is passive diffusion? Answer: The movement of a drug from an
area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration across a
cell membrane without the use of energy or transport proteins.
⫸ What factors affect passive diffusion? Answer: Lipid solubility,
molecular size, degree of ionization, pH of the environment, membrane
permeability, and the concentration gradient.
, ⫸ How does hypoalbuminemia affect prescribing? Answer: It decreases
drug binding to plasma proteins, increasing the amount of free active
drug in circulation, raising the risk of toxicity, and often requires dose
reduction and close monitoring.
⫸ What is first pass metabolism? Answer: The metabolism of an orally
administered drug by the liver before reaching systemic circulation,
reducing the amount of active drug available and lowering
bioavailability.
⫸ What factors affect drug absorption? Answer: Route of
administration, drug formulation, blood flow to the absorption site,
surface area, gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal motility,
presence of food, and interactions with other drugs.
⫸ What is drug metabolism? Answer: The biochemical transformation
of drugs into more water soluble compounds for elimination, primarily
occurring in the liver.
⫸ What role do isoenzymes of the cytochrome P450 system play in
drug metabolism? Answer: They metabolize drugs at varying rates,
which can be induced or inhibited, altering drug levels and increasing
the risk of treatment failure or toxicity.
⫸ What is drug affinity? Answer: The strength with which a drug binds
to its receptor.
Prescribers: Decision-Making in
Practice
⫸ What factors are associated with clinical judgment when prescribing
medications? Answer: Patient's age, weight, sex, pregnancy status,
diagnosis, severity of illness, comorbid conditions, kidney and liver
function, current medications, allergies, previous responses to drugs,
lifestyle factors, cost and access to medications, evidence based
guidelines, and the prescriber's knowledge and experience.
⫸ What are the criteria for choosing an effective drug? Answer:
Demonstrated effectiveness for the condition, safety and tolerability,
appropriateness for the patient's age and health status, ease of
administration, likelihood of adherence, minimal drug interactions,
affordability, and availability.
⫸ What is passive diffusion? Answer: The movement of a drug from an
area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration across a
cell membrane without the use of energy or transport proteins.
⫸ What factors affect passive diffusion? Answer: Lipid solubility,
molecular size, degree of ionization, pH of the environment, membrane
permeability, and the concentration gradient.
, ⫸ How does hypoalbuminemia affect prescribing? Answer: It decreases
drug binding to plasma proteins, increasing the amount of free active
drug in circulation, raising the risk of toxicity, and often requires dose
reduction and close monitoring.
⫸ What is first pass metabolism? Answer: The metabolism of an orally
administered drug by the liver before reaching systemic circulation,
reducing the amount of active drug available and lowering
bioavailability.
⫸ What factors affect drug absorption? Answer: Route of
administration, drug formulation, blood flow to the absorption site,
surface area, gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal motility,
presence of food, and interactions with other drugs.
⫸ What is drug metabolism? Answer: The biochemical transformation
of drugs into more water soluble compounds for elimination, primarily
occurring in the liver.
⫸ What role do isoenzymes of the cytochrome P450 system play in
drug metabolism? Answer: They metabolize drugs at varying rates,
which can be induced or inhibited, altering drug levels and increasing
the risk of treatment failure or toxicity.
⫸ What is drug affinity? Answer: The strength with which a drug binds
to its receptor.
