Pharmacology Terms

Question 1

Bioavailability

Answer 1

The amount of a drug that enters central circulation and is able to cause an effect

Question 2

Bolus

Answer 2

Administration of medication in single dose (as opposed to an infusion)

Question 3

Concentration

Answer 3

For calculation purposes, this is the amount of medication available as packaged

Question 4

Dose

Answer 4

The drug amount intended for administration

Question 5

Enteral

Answer 5

Delivery of medication through the GI tract (oral, sublingual, rectal)

Question 6

Half-life

Answer 6

Period of time required for concentration of drug in the body to be reduced by one-half

Question 7

Parenteral

Answer 7

Delivery of medication outside the GI tract (IV, IO, IM, SQ, IN)

Question 8

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 8

Movement of a drug through the body, includes absorption, bioavailability, distribution, metabolism, and excretion

Question 9

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 9

Mechanism of action of a medication

Question 10

Therapeutic index

Answer 10

The range between minimum effective dose of a medication and the maximum safe dose (narrower the index the more risk associated with the medication)

Question 11

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Answer 11

Prevents the manufacture, sale, or transport of misbranded or poisonous medications

Question 12

Harrison Narcotic Act (1914)

Answer 12

Regulates production,importation, and distribution of opiates

Question 13

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1938)

Answer 13

Gives the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authority to oversee the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics

Question 14

Controlled Substances Act (1970)

Answer 14

Categorizes controlled substance based on their potential for abuse and potential medical benefits

Question 15

Six rights of drug administration

Answer 15

1. Patient
2. Drug
3. Time
4. Route
5. Amount
6. Documentation

Question 16

Adrenergic

Answer 16

Related to the sympathetic nervous system (think “adrenaline “)

Question 17

Adverse effect

Answer 17

Unintended effect of a medication administration

Question 18

Agonist

Answer 18

Medication that stimulates a specific response

Question 19

Analgesic

Answer 19

Medication that reduces pain

Question 20

Antagonist

Answer 20

Medication that inhibits a specific action

Question 21

Cholinergic

Answer 21

Related to the parasympathetic nervous system (think “acetylcholine”)

Question 22

Contraindications

Answer 22

Circumstance when a medication should not be used

Question 23

Cumulative effect

Answer 23

Repeated administration of a medication that produces effects that are more pronounced than the first dose

Question 24

Drug class

Answer 24

Categorization of medications with similarities or uses

Question 25

Extra pyramidal

Answer 25

Tremors, slurred speech, restlessness, muscle twitching, anxiety side effects

Question 26

Habituation

Answer 26

Diminishing of a physiological or emotional response to a frequently repeated stimulus (cigarettes)

Question 27

Hypersensitivity

Answer 27

Undesirable reactions produced by the normal immune system, including allergies and autoimmunity

Question 28

Hypertonic solution

Answer 28

Solution that has a greater concentration of solutes on the outside of a cell when compared with the inside of a cell, causing fluid to move out of the cell

Question 29

Hypotonic solution

Answer 29

Solution that has a lesser concentration of solutes on the outside of a cell when compared with the inside of a cell, causing fluid to move into the cell

Question 30

Indication

Answer 30

Circumstance when a medication should be considered

Question 31

Isotonic solution

Answer 31

Sodium concentration same as intracellular fluid

Question 32

Mechanism of action

Answer 32

Pharmacological effects of a medication

Question 33

Potentiation

Answer 33

Interaction between two on more medications causing a response greater than the sum of each individual medication

Question 34

Refractory

Answer 34

Resistant to treatment

Question 35

Side effect

Answer 35

Unwanted effect of medication administration

Question 36

Therapeutic action

Answer 36

Desirable effects of medication administration

Question 37

Tolerance

Answer 37

Reduced response to a medication due to repeated use

Question 38

Untoward effect

Answer 38

Adverse or harmful side effects of medication administration

Question 39

altered LOC/OD drugs

Answer 39

* activated charcoal * dextrose * glucagon * naloxone * thiamine

Question 40

Analgesic drugs

Answer 40

* fentanyl * morphine * nitrous oxide

Question 41

Antidysrhythmics/antiarrhythmics

Answer 41

* adenosine * amiodarone * atropine * cardizem * lidocaine * verapamil

Question 42

Cardiac drugs

Answer 42

* aspirin * bumetanide * dopamine * epinephrine * furosemide * nitroglycerine

Question 43

Electrolytes/misc

Answer 43

* calcium * magnesium sulfate * ondansetron * oxygen * oxytocin * promethazine * sodium bicarbonate

Question 44

Respiratory drugs

Answer 44

* albuterol * atrovent * decadron * diphenhydramine * methylprednisolone

Question 45

Sedation/seizure/paralytic

Answer 45

* diazepam * etomidate * ketamine * lorazepam * midazolam * succinylcholine

Question 46

Receptor sites: 1. Alpha 1 2. Beta 1 3. Beta 2 4. Opioid

Answer 46

1. Cause vasoconstriction 2. Cause increased heart rate (chronotrope), increased cardiac force of contraction (intrope), and increased myocardial conduction (dromotrope) 3. Cause bronchodilator 4. Causes CNS depression, analgesia

Question 47

Liquid medications administered into the body through intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intravenous are known as:

Answer 47

Parenteral drugs

Question 48

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that controls vegetative functions such as digestion of food, is the:

Answer 48

Parasympathetic

Question 49

You are treating a pediatric patient for bradycardia. The patient weighs approximately 10 kilograms. Protocol indicates that 0.01 mg/kg IV/IO should be given. What is the dose of epinephrine for this patient?

Answer 49

1mg

Question 50

Which of the following would be listed as a Schedule I drug?

Answer 50

Heroin

Question 51

The term "therapeutic index" refers to:

Answer 51

Ratio of a drugs lethal dose to its therapeutic dose

Question 52

After determining that your patient has overdosed on a narcotic medication causing a decreased respiratory drive, you administer the medication, naloxone that opposes the effects of the narcotic increasing the respiratory drive. This is an example of a/an:

Answer 52

Antagonism

Question 53

________ is the length of time that a medication concentration is sufficient in the blood to produce a therapeutic response.

Answer 53

Duration of action

Question 54

During the morning drug inventory of your unit, you notice that you have a solution of 10% calcium chloride available. Based on the commonly used weight/volume percentage, you know that this solution contains:

Answer 54

10g/100cc

Question 55

You are ordered to give 250 ml of 0.9% normal saline to a patient over 20 minutes. You are using a macroinfusion set (10 gtts/ml). What will you set your drip rate at?

Answer 55

125gtts/min

Question 56

A medication's half-life refers to the:

Answer 56

Time required for the total dose to be reduced by 1/2

Question 57

Two major divisions of pharmacology are:

Answer 57

Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

Question 58

Stimulation of the ________ results in pupillary constriction, digestive gland secretion, bronchoconstriction, and reduction in heart rate and contractile force.

Answer 58

Parasympathetic nervous system

Question 59

Medical direction has ordered that you administer a medication to a patient that you believe will cause harm to the patient if administered. After reading back the order to medical direction, the physician insists that you give the medication. Which of the following BEST describes your next actions?

Answer 59

State your objectives, withhold the medication, and document carefully

Question 60

An administration set suitable for administering large amounts of fluid to patients suffering from fluid loss would be a:

Answer 60

Macrodrip infusion set

Question 61

You are ordered to administer 2 mg/min of lidocaine to a patient who has received a bolus of lidocaine during cardiac arrest. You have prepared the lidocaine by placing 1 gram in 250 cc of D5W. You are utilizing a microdrip (60 gtts/mL) administration set. What is the correct drip rate?

Answer 61

30gtts/min

Question 62

When a fluid on one side of a cellular membrane contains a higher solute concentration than fluid on the other side, the fluid is said to be ________.

Answer 62

Hypertonic

Question 63

Which of the following catheters should be used when initiating an intravenous line on an adult patient who may need large amounts of fluid?

Answer 63

16 gauge