Deck 3: A Brief Introduction to the Science of Pharmacology

Question 1

For most of the psychoactive pharmaceuticals as well as various other drugs that are misused, the site of action

A)is neurons in the central nervous system.
B)is on the contralateral side of the body from where it was administered.
C)involves the kidneys during the biotransformation process.
D)depends on how the substance was administered.

Answer 1

is neurons in the central nervous system.

Question 2

A drug that has a narrow therapeutic window would

A)be easy to overdose.
B)be difficult to overdose.
C)never reach its peak effect.
D)reach its peak effect slowly.

Answer 2

be easy to overdose.

Question 3

The effect of a drug is the desired effect.

A)compound
B)placebo
C)secondary
D)prime

Answer 3

prime

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true concerning the bioavailability of chemical compounds related to drug misuse and abuse?

A)There is little known about drug distribution patterns in overdose situations.
B)The main site of biotransformation is the pancreas.
C)The effects of any compound are the same in animals as in humans.
D)The method of administration for a compound does not matter in pharmacokinetics.

Question 5

The dosage level that would kill 5 % of those people who took an overdose of medication "X" (medication from last question) is 400 mg.This would mean that

A)this compound has a large therapeutic window.
B)this compound has a narrow therapeutic window.
C)the compound is highly toxic.
D)the elimination of medication "X" from their body at this dosage level will be difficult for most people.

Question 6

A compound that is 98 % lipid-bound means

A)98 % of that compound's molecules absorbed into circulation are bound to blood lipids.
B)98 % of that compound's molecules are available for the body to use immediately.
C)98 % of the molecules for that compound are subject to elimination more rapidly because of being in this state.
D)2 % of the drug molecules are not available to have any biological effect.

Question 7

Drugs that are abused comprise a special class of chemicals that are different from drugs that are used pharmaceutically.

Question 8

Which process is affected by factors such as the individual's sex, state of hydration, genetic heritage, general health, and muscle/adipose tissue ratio?

A)Peak effect
B)Drug interaction
C)Diffusion
D)Distribution

Question 9

The way in which the passage of time impacts the way a drug moves through the body is referred to as

A)cross-tolerance
B)pharmacokinetics
C)distribution
D)pharmacodynamics

Question 10

The biotransformation process for pharmaceuticals was once called

A)drug metabolism.
B)vascularization.
C)absorption.
D)distribution.

Question 11

All of the following are involved in the process of removing compounds from the body EXCEPT:

A)intravenous administration.
B)absorption.
C)distribution.
D)biotransformation

Question 12

If 95 % of test subjects have the desired response to medication "X" at a dosage level of 15 mg, this would be called the

A)LD95.
B)ED95.
C)minimal effective dose.
D)therapeutic half-life of that compound at the 95th %ile.

Question 13

Jared is experiencing an overdose of heroin.He is rushed to the hospital and given another drug that blocks his opioid receptor sites, thus preventing the effects of the overdose from stopping his respiration.Jared was most likely given

A)Naltraxone.
B)Disulfiram
C)Narcan.
D)Buspirone.

Question 14

Which of the following is most accurate in regards to bioavailability?

A)It is concerned with the biotransformation process after a compound is administered into the human body.
B)It forces the body to absorb a compound more rapidly.
C)It is only 1/100,000th of an inch from drug molecules and the circulatory system.
D)It reflects the concentration of unchanged chemical at the site of action.

Question 15

Which process helps explains how a drug leads to a change in the brain, thus shortening the duration of drug effects after repeated administration?

A)Neuroadaptation
B)Reuptake
C)Co-transmission
D)Down regulation

Question 16

The effect of a drug is an unwanted side effect.

A)compound
B)placebo
C)secondary
D)prime

Question 17

Virtually all drugs of abuse known at this time

A)either once were or now are being investigated as potential pharmaceutical agents.
B)are not very different in chemical structure from earlier generations of recreational chemicals.
C)tend to enhance the function of the central nervous system.
D)are found to have their main effects outside of the central nervous system.

Question 18

The subcutaneous method of drug administration

A)results in a more rapid onset of action than other methods of drug administration.
B)involves the injection of the compound just under the skin.
C)is the most common method by which narcotic analgesics are abused.
D)results in a more rapid response to the compound being injected than intramuscular injections.

Question 19

Isabel had been taking Valium, a benzodiazepine, for a few years to calm her nerves and help her sleep.She had her dosage increased by her doctor because her previous dosage wasn't helping her sleep at night anymore.One night, she went out with her husband for his company's annual Christmas party.She had never been much of a drinker, but that evening she wanted to enjoy a few cocktails.She was very careful not to mix her Valium with alcohol, as her doctor had warned her.Towards the end of the evening, Isabel realized that she had had at least 5 cocktails and didn't feel drunk at all.Which term may best describe why this happened?

A)Cross dependence
B)Cross tolerance
C)Up-regulation
D)Co-transmission

Question 20

The term "skin popping" used by some drug addicts refers to the route of drug administration.

A)subcutaneous
B)intravenous
C)transdermal
D)enteral

Question 21

Define the terms effective dose and lethal dose.Explain how these might be used to calculate the therapeutic index of a drug.

Question 22

Which of the following is NOT part of the absorption process of drug molecules in the human body?

A)Detoxification
B)Cellular transport mechanisms
C)Method of administration
D)Molecular binding characteristics of that compound

Question 23

Which of the following is true regarding drugs of abuse?

A)The speed at which the compound begins to take effect varies as a result of the drug-specific site of action.
B)The heart and cardiovascular system are of minimal importance to the process of biotransformation.
C)The site of action is the central nervous system.
D)Rectal administration is quite common, although it is relatively inefficient.

Question 24

According to your text, drugs of abuse and pharmaceuticals both

A)destroy emerging potentials within the body.
B)cause a disruption in protein absorption for most persons.
C)destroy most of the essential enzymes found in the brain.
D)modify a potential that already exists in the body or brain.

Question 25

Describe the actions and effects of agonists and antagonists on a receptor sites.

Question 26

Describe the processes of neurotransmitter reuptake and destruction, noting where these processes take place.

Question 27

An advantage of administering a drug parenterally is

A)the drug is not delayed by the stomach emptying process.
B)it avoids the danger of the drug being mixed with food in the GI tract.
C)the drug is not exposed to gastric juices.
D)all of these answers.

Question 28

Describe the term distribution half-life, including its two subforms.

Question 29

If 99 percent of test subjects have the desired response to the same medication identified in the last question at a dosage level of 20 mg, this would be called:

A)the LD99.
B)the ED99.
C)the minimal effective dose.
D)the therapeutic half-life of that compound at the 99th percentile.

Question 30

Describe the process of biotransformation.