Principles of Pharmacology

Question 1

What is pharmacodynamics?

Answer 1

How a drug exerts its effect on the body

Question 2

List 4 classes of protein drug targets.

Answer 2

receptors
enzymes
ion channels
transport proteins

Question 3

what type of drug target does aspirin work on?

mechanism of action?

Answer 3

enzyme
binds to COX
prevents production of prostaglandins

Question 4

what type of drug target does local anaesthetic work on? mechanism of action?

Answer 4

ion channel
blocks Na+ channels
therefore nerve conduction

Question 5

what type of drug target does prozac (antidepressant) work on? mechanism of action?

Answer 5

transport protein
blocks serotonin carrier proteins
prevents removal from the synapse

Question 6

what type of drug target does nicotine work on? mechanism of action?

Answer 6

receptor

binds to/activates nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

Question 7

Define selectivity.

Answer 7

specific to a particular drug target

Question 8

Peroglide (used to treat Parkinson’s) can have what negative effects at high doses? why is this?

Answer 8

hallucinations
hypotension
drug becomes less selective

Question 9

List examples of drug-receptor interactions.

Answer 9

electrostatic
hydrophobic
covalent bonds
stereospecific

Question 10

drugs that bind and activate receptors are?

Answer 10

agonists

Question 11

drugs that bind and block receptors are?

Answer 11

antagonists

Question 12

The affinity of a drug determines?

Answer 12

strength of binding drug to receptor

Question 13

The efficacy of a drug is?

Answer 13

ability of an individual drug molecule to produce an effect once bound to a receptor

Question 14

What is potency?

Answer 14

concentration or dose of a drug required to produce a defined effect (usually 50% tissue response)

Question 15

When determining dose what is more important: potency or dose?

Answer 15

potency

Question 16

In pharmacokinetic terms, absorption can be defined as?

Answer 16

passage of a drug from the site of administration into the plasma

Question 17

Define bioavailability.

Answer 17

the fraction of the initial dose that gains access to the systemic circulation

Question 18

List forms of drug administration.

Answer 18

intravenous injection
oral 
inhalational
dermal (percutaneous)
intranasal

Question 19

What type of absorption helps insulin access the brain?

Answer 19

pinocytosis

Question 20

How do most drugs move across membranes?

Answer 20

diffusing across lipid membranes or

via transport proteins

Question 21

List factors that influence tissue distribution.

Answer 21

regional blood flow
plasma protein binding
capillary permeability
tissue localisation

Question 22

the amount of drug that is bound to plasma proteins depends on what three factors?

Answer 22

free drug concentration
affinity for protein binding sites
plasma protein concentration

Question 23

What is phase 1 and 2 of drug metabolism?

Answer 23

introduce reactive group to the drug

add conjugate to reactive group

Question 24

List examples of drug excretion and elimination.

Answer 24

lungs
breast milk
kidney (urine)
liver (bile)

Question 25

Define clearance.

Answer 25

measure of the ability of the body to eliminate a drug

Question 26

Define elimination half- life.

Answer 26

length of time required for the concentration of a particular drug to decreasetohalf of itsstarting dose in the body

Question 27

Define time to peak plasma levels.

Answer 27

time required for a drug to reach peak concentration in plasma

Question 28

The faster the absorption rate, the _____ the time to peak plasma concentration.

Answer 28

lower