Deck 1: Pharmacodynamics: Receptors and Concentration-Response Relationships

Question 1

Nalbuphine is an effective pain reliever because of its activity at mu-opioid receptors. However, if given to a patient who has recently received morphine (which also affects mu-opioid receptors) for postoperative pain, nalbuphine can worsen his or her pain. Thus nalbuphine is said to have what kind of activity at mu-opioid receptors?

A) Full agonist
B) Partial agonist
C) Competitive antagonist
D) Non-competitive antagonist
E) Allosteric modifier

Answer 1

Partial agonist

Question 2

The majority of medications available today act on which superfamily of cellular membrane receptor?

A) Ligand-gated ion channel
B) G-protein-coupled receptor
C) Receptor tyrosine kinase
D) Nuclear hormone receptor
E) Cytokine receptor

Answer 2

G-protein-coupled receptor