Pharmacology Question Paper: Questions and Answers

Pharmacology helps us understand drugs, their uses, and effects on the body. This set of questions and answers provides a comprehensive guide for students and professionals preparing for exams, covering key topics and concepts in the field.

General Pharmacology

Question: What is pharmacokinetics?

Answer:
Pharmacokinetics is the study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted in the body.

Question: Define bioavailability.

Answer:
Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a drug that enters the systemic circulation in an active form after administration.

Question: What are the phases of drug metabolism?

Answer:
The phases of drug metabolism are Phase I (modification) and Phase II (conjugation).

Question: What is the therapeutic index?

Answer:
The therapeutic index is the ratio of a drug’s toxic dose to its effective dose, indicating its safety margin.

Question: Describe the term half-life in pharmacology.

Answer:
Half-life is the time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the plasma to reduce by half.

Question: What is the first-pass effect?

Answer:
The first-pass effect is the metabolism of a drug in the liver before it reaches systemic circulation.

Question: What are the routes of drug administration?

Answer:
The routes of drug administration include oral, intravenous, intramuscular, subcutaneous, topical, and inhalational routes.

Question: What are prodrugs?

Answer:
Prodrugs are inactive compounds that become active after metabolic conversion in the body.

Question: What is a loading dose?

Answer:
A loading dose is an initial higher dose of a drug given to quickly achieve therapeutic levels.

Question: Define the term agonist.

Answer:
An agonist is a substance that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a biological response.

Question: What is an antagonist?

Answer:
An antagonist is a substance that binds to a receptor but does not activate it, blocking the receptor’s action.

Question: Explain the concept of receptor selectivity.

Answer:
Receptor selectivity refers to a drug’s ability to preferentially bind to a specific receptor type.

Question: What is drug tolerance?

Answer:
Drug tolerance is a reduced response to a drug after repeated use, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Question: What are the different types of drug interactions?

Answer:
Drug interactions can be pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, or due to combined toxicity.

Question: Define idiosyncratic reaction.

Answer:
An idiosyncratic reaction is an unpredictable, unusual response to a drug in a particular individual.

Question: What are enzyme inducers?

Answer:
Enzyme inducers are substances that increase the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, reducing drug levels in the body.

Question: What are enzyme inhibitors?

Answer:
Enzyme inhibitors are substances that decrease the activity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, increasing drug levels in the body.

Question: What is the difference between potency and efficacy?

Answer:
Potency is the amount of drug needed to produce a given effect, while efficacy is the maximum effect a drug can produce.

Question: What is a placebo?

Answer:
A placebo is an inactive substance given to a patient to mimic drug administration without therapeutic effect.

Clinical Pharmacology

Question: What is pharmacovigilance?

Answer:
Pharmacovigilance is the science of monitoring, detecting, assessing, and preventing adverse drug reactions.

Question: What are adverse drug reactions (ADRs)?

Answer:
ADRs are harmful, unintended reactions to a drug taken at normal doses.

Question: What is polypharmacy?

Answer:
Polypharmacy is the simultaneous use of multiple medications by a patient.

Question: How are clinical trials conducted?

Answer:
Clinical trials are conducted in phases: Phase I (safety), Phase II (efficacy), Phase III (comparison), and Phase IV (post-marketing surveillance).

Question: What is off-label drug use?

Answer:
Off-label drug use is the prescription of a drug for an unapproved indication, dose, or population.

Question: What is therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)?

Answer:
TDM is the measurement of drug levels in the blood to maintain a desired therapeutic range.

Question: What is pharmacogenomics?

Answer:
Pharmacogenomics studies how an individual’s genetic makeup affects their response to drugs.

Question: Define drug compliance.

Answer:
Drug compliance is the extent to which a patient follows prescribed medication regimens.

Question: What is the role of placebo in clinical trials?

Answer:
A placebo is used as a control to assess the actual effect of a drug during clinical trials.

Question: What is an orphan drug?

Answer:
An orphan drug is developed to treat rare diseases, often with limited financial incentive for production.

Question: What are biosimilars?

Answer:
Biosimilars are biologic products highly similar to already approved reference biologics.

Question: What is drug resistance?

Answer:
Drug resistance occurs when a drug becomes less effective in treating a condition due to biological changes.

Question: What is a contraindication?

Answer:
A contraindication is a condition or factor that makes the use of a drug unsafe or inappropriate.

Question: Define pharmacoeconomics.

Answer:
Pharmacoeconomics evaluates the cost-effectiveness of drugs and treatments.

Question: What is drug withdrawal?

Answer:
Drug withdrawal refers to symptoms experienced when stopping a drug after prolonged use.

Question: How is drug efficacy tested?

Answer:
Drug efficacy is tested through clinical trials, animal studies, and laboratory experiments.

Question: What is the difference between generic and brand-name drugs?

Answer:
Generic drugs have the same active ingredients as brand-name drugs but may differ in inactive components.

Question: What is personalized medicine?

Answer:
Personalized medicine tailors treatment to an individual’s genetic profile and medical history.

Pharmacology encompasses a broad range of topics critical for understanding medication use and its impact on health. These questions and answers provide a foundational knowledge base, aiding both academic learning and professional practice.