Pharmacokinetics & First Pass
Pharmacodynamics & Classification
Drug Monitoring Labs
Drug Timing & Levels
Anticoagulant Management
100

This is the movement of a drug from the site of administration to the bloodstream, a process usually referred to with oral medications.

What is absorption?

100


This field is defined as the study of drugs, including how they affect the body, specifically looking at pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

what is pharmacology 

100

This liver enzyme has a normal range of 8-40 units/liter of serum and is specific to the liver, being released into the bloodstream when the liver is damaged.

what is ALT (alanine aminotransferase)

100

This term refers to the highest level of medication in the system without being toxic, typically drawn 1 to 1 1/2 hours after administration of the medication.

What is the peak

100

This is the antidote that should be given if a client's blood becomes too thin while on Heparin (PTT > 100).

what is protamine

200

IV medications are special because they go directly to the bloodstream, skipping this specific phase of pharmacokinetics

What is absorption

200

Medications are classified based on their effect on the body, chemical composition, clinical indication, and this type of action.

what is therapeutic action

200

The normal range for Creatinine (a waste product of muscle metabolism) is this range in mg/dl.

what is 0.5-1.2 mg/dl

200

for toxic medications, this lab must be drawn 30 minutes prior to the next dose to measure the lowest effective level of the medication in the bloodstream

what is the trough 

200

This lab test is monitored for clients receiving IV Heparin.

what is PTT Partial Thromboplastin Time

300


Metabolism, which is primarily in the liver, chemically alters a drug into a different form to make it easier to use and eliminate and perform this function regarding toxins.

What is removing toxins?

300

Acetaminophen is the generic name for this common brand name pain reliever.

what is tylenol

300

High levels of AST may indicate liver damage but can also be an indication of damage to this other organ ______ (example) or to muscles.

what is the heart

300

IV push (IVP) medications reach their peak fastest, within this time range (in minutes)

what is 15-30min

300

The INR is used to monitor the therapeutic level of this oral blood thinner.

what is coumadin 

400

This phenomenon describes how orally taken medications go through the liver, where they are inactivated and a large percentage of the medication is destroyed, meaning less will be put back into the bloodstream.

What is the first pass effect

400

The mechanism of action for medication within the body, known as pharmacodynamics, involves only four actions: Turn On, Turn Off, Promote, or _______

what is block

400

BUN (10-20 mg/dl), Creatinine (0.5-1.2 mg/dl), and this electrolyte (3.5-5.2 mEq/liter) should always be monitored together, especially if elevated, as they indicate kidney function

What is potassium

400

This measurement is defined as the length of time it takes for half of the drug dose to be eliminated from the bloodstream.

what is half life

400

When a client is receiving Coumadin, an INR level between 1.2–2.0 is considered this, meaning the blood is too thick.

what is Sub-therapeutic 

500

After distribution, this is the final process by which the body removes drugs and their metabolites out of the system, primarily accomplished by the kidneys.

What is excretion?

500


On an NCLEX exam, test takers are only going to be given this type of drug name, which is usually lowercase, listed first, and is not owned by companies.

What is generic name?

500

Elevated BUN levels, greater than 50 mg/dl, indicate this condition.

what is poor kidney function

500

Medications with a long half-life, such as psychiatric or blood pressure medications, are usually given only once a day because they are easy to maintain within this window, and a missed dose is not a serious concern.

what is the therapeutic window

500

If a client is on IV Heparin, the PTT should be increased to this range (in seconds) compared to the normal range of 21–35 seconds.

What is 46-70 seconds