Deck 4: Pharmacodynamics

Question 1

Drug X has a strong affinity for a specific receptor, and this enables it to elicit a(n) ____ effect.

A) agonist
B) antagonist
C) mixed agonist/antagonist
D) none of the above
E) any of a, b, and c

Answer 1

any of a, b, and c

Question 2

Mrs. Peters suffers an acute bronchospasm and receives epinephrine. This drug enhances the normal physiologic function of its beta-2 receptor to stimulate bronchodilation. No new function was developed as a result. Mrs. Peters' epinephrine has a(n) ____ effect.

A) agonist
B) antagonist
C) mixed agonist/antagonist
D) either a or c
E) Not enough information is provided to answer.

Answer 2

agonist

Question 3

Mr. Clemmens receives a combination of drugs from several different physicians. His newest drug inactivates the receptor so that its agonist cannot be effective, no matter how much the physician is able to increase the agonist's concentration. The newest drug in Mr. Clemmens' regimen is a:

A) partial antagonist.
B) competitive antagonist.
C) noncompetitive antagonist.
D) partial agonist.
E) none of the above.

Answer 3

noncompetitive antagonist.

Question 4

Mrs. Jennings takes a new medication, in addition to several she has used for years. The new agent is fairly effective, but it seems to interfere with the action of an older drug that normally has greater efficacy. Mrs. Jennings' new drug is apparently acting as a:

A) partial antagonist.
B) competitive antagonist.
C) noncompetitive antagonist.
D) partial agonist.
E) none of the above.

Question 5

Mrs. Jennings is switched to a drug that resembles the ____ to which an enzyme attaches, resulting in a drug-enzyme interaction.

A) target organ
B) catalyst
C) substrate
D) receptor
E) none of the above

Question 6

The degree to which a drug is able to produce its desired effect is its:

A) efficacy.
B) potency.
C) affinity.
D) target zone.
E) peak plasma level.

Question 7

Mrs. Jennings' physician is monitoring how long it takes after she administers her medication until she sees or feels the first sign of its effect. The physician is obviously concerned with the drug's:

A) onset of action.
B) latent period.
C) duration of action.
D) a and b.
E) b and c.

Question 8

If a researcher is looking for the highest plasma concentration attained from a dose of a specific drug, he or she would be looking for its:

A) toxic level.
B) peak plasma level.
C) therapeutic range.
D) therapeutic index.
E) half-life.

Question 9

To discover the plasma concentrations that produce the desired drug effect without toxicity means to establish the drug's:

A) onset of action.
B) therapeutic range.
C) peak plasma level.
D) therapeutic index.
E) minimum effective concentrations.

Question 10

After her patient receives a new drug, Dr. Anderson monitors the patient to determine the amount that reaches and remains in the systemic circulation. To determine this accurately, Dr. Anderson would most likely want to monitor the rate and extent of:

A) drug absorption and distribution.
B) the patient's metabolism.
C) the drug's elimination.
D) a and c.
E) all of the above.

Question 11

LD50 represents:

A) the time required for the current serum/plasma concentration to decline by 50%.
B) the half-life of elimination.
C) the dose at which a drug is lethal to 50% of the population.
D) the dose required to produce a therapeutic effect in 50% of the population.
E) the therapeutic index.

Question 12

A laboratory is testing the relative safety of a drug, producing a ratio that is very close to 1. This calculation suggests that:

A) the safe, careful balance between lethal dose and effective dose has been achieved, although, of course, the safety margin is very narrow.
B) the laboratory has determined the dose at which the drug is lethal to the minimum number of people.
C) the drug is very dangerous; this dose would be required to attempt to effectively cure the patient, but it could also kill him or her.
D) this drug may have alterations in half-life of elimination when dosage overwhelms the biologic capacity for megabolism.
E) none of the above is correct.

Question 13

Mr. Woodward takes an antihistamine and reports that it also has a mild, calming effect on him. His physician tells him that this is not at all unusual. The antianxiety effect of this drug is called a(n):

A) adverse effect.
B) side effect.
C) therapeutic effect.
D) allergic reaction.
E) none of the above.

Question 14

Mr. Woodward takes another drug that results in a very uncomfortable immune-mediated response by his body against the drug. It does not seem related to dose. Mr. Woodward has experienced a(n):

A) toxic effect.
B) immune reaction.
C) side effect.
D) allergic reaction.
E) none of the above.

Question 15

Mr. Woodward takes two drugs at the same time. His physician determines that if the two agents interact with each other, they may produce additive ____ responses to each other.

A) agonist
B) synergistic
C) antagonistic
D) a and/or c
E) any of the above