Chapter 1 Introduction to Pharmacology

1. A woman has been prescribed paroxetine hydrochloride, which is an antidepressant agent administered in pill form. The medication is administered for her obsessive-compulsive disorder. This medication will produce which of the following effects?

1. A)  Curative
2. B)  Systemic
3. C)  Local
4. D)  Parenteral

Ans: B
Feedback:
Drugs that produce systemic effects are taken into the body, circulated through the bloodstream to their sites of action in various body tissues, and eventually eliminated from the body. Curative agents are given to cure a disease process. In this case, paroxetine hydrochloride will control the symptoms but not cure the disorder. Drugs with local effects, such as sunscreen and local anesthetics, act mainly at the site of application. Paroxetine hydrochloride is not administered parenterally. Parenteral agents are administered subcutaneously, intramuscularly, or intravenously.

2. A patient has been prescribed an antibiotic. This medication is a naturally occurring substance that has been chemically modified. What is another name for this type of medication?

1. A)  Synthetic drug
2. B)  Semisynthetic drug
3. C)  Biotechnology drug
4. D)  Prototype drug

Ans: B

Feedback:

Semisynthetic drugs (e.g., many antibiotics) are naturally occurring substances that have been chemically modified. Synthetic drugs are more standardized in their chemical characteristics, more consistent in their effects, and less likely to produce allergic reactions. Biotechnology drugs involve manipulating DNA and RNA and recombining genes into hybrid molecules that can be inserted into living organisms. Prototype drugs are the first drug of a particular group to be developed.

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3. A patient is administered morphine. Morphine is a prototypical drug that can be classified in different ways. Which of the following classifications applies to morphine?

1. A)  Central nervous system depressant
2. B)  Central nervous system stimulant
3. C)  Anti-inflammatory
4. D)  Antihypertensive

Ans: A
Feedback:
Drugs are classified according to their effects on particular body systems, their therapeutic uses, and their chemical characteristics. For example, morphine can be classified as a central nervous system depressant and a narcotic or opioid analgesic. A central nervous system stimulant increases attention and raises mood. An anti-inflammatory agent decreases inflammation at the site of tissue or joint inflammation. An antihypertensive agent reduces blood pressure.

4. A patient is administered amoxicillin (Amoxil). The generic name of this medication indicates that it belongs to which drug group?

1. A)  Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
2. B)  Diuretics
3. C)  Penicillins
4. D)  ACE inhibitors

Ans: C
Feedback:
The generic name often indicates the drug group (e.g., drugs with generic names ending in “cillin” are penicillins). Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are medications that have antidepressant effects; SSRI is a broad classification, not a generic name. Diuretics are medications that increase urine output; diuretic is a broad classification, not a generic name. ACE inhibitor is the broad classification for the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, not the generic name.

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5. The administration of diphenhydramine (Benadryl), which is an over-the-counter medication, is regulated by which government agency?

1. A)  Public Health Service
2. B)  Federal Trade Commission
3. C)  Occupational Safety and Health Administration
4. D)  Food and Drug Administration

Ans: D Feedback:

The Food and Drug Administration approves drugs for over-the-counter availability, including the transfer of drugs from prescription to OTC status, and may require clinical trials to determine the safety and effectiveness of OTC use. The Public Health Service is regulated by the state to maintain the health of individual citizens of the state. The Federal Trade Commission regulates imports and exports throughout the nation. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration regulates safety within the workplace.

6. The administration of anabolic steroids is regulated by which of the following laws?

1. A)  The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938
2. B)  The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act
3. C)  The Harrison Narcotic Act
4. D)  The Shirley Amendment

Ans: B
Feedback:
The Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act regulates the manufacture and distribution of narcotics, stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, and anabolic steroids. The Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938 revised and broadened FDA powers and responsibilities, giving the FDA control over drug safety. The Harrison Narcotic Act restricted the importation, manufacture, sale, and use of opium, cocaine, marijuana, and other drugs that the act defined as narcotics. The Shirley Amendment of 1912 prohibited fraudulent claims of drug effectiveness.