Pharmacology Vocabulary

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Date:

Instructions: Explore the science of medicines and drugs, from how medications work in the body to drug interactions and pharmaceutical terms.

1.
What does 'pharmacology' study?
A
The manufacturing of pills
B
The study of pharmacy buildings
C
The history of medicine
D
The science of how drugs interact with biological systems
2.
What is a 'dose' in pharmacology?
A
The measured quantity of a drug to be taken at one time
B
The shelf life of a drug
C
A side effect of a medication
D
A type of medicine
3.
What does 'analgesic' mean?
A
A drug that stops bleeding
B
A drug that relieves pain without causing loss of consciousness
C
A drug that causes sleep
D
A drug that reduces fever
4.
What is a 'side effect'?
A
An unwanted or secondary effect that occurs in addition to the desired therapeutic effect
B
A drug interaction
C
The expiration of a medication
D
The main purpose of a drug
5.
What does 'bioavailability' measure?
A
The size of a pill
B
The cost of a medication
C
The proportion of a drug that reaches the bloodstream and is available to have an active effect
D
How long a drug lasts on the shelf
6.
What is a 'placebo'?
A
A powerful painkiller
B
A drug that cures all diseases
C
A new type of antibiotic
D
An inactive substance given in place of a real drug, often used in clinical trials
7.
What does 'contraindication' mean?
A
A positive drug interaction
B
A recommendation to take a drug
C
The correct dosage of a drug
D
A condition or factor that makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable
8.
What is 'half-life' in pharmacology?
A
The shelf life divided by two
B
Half the recommended dose
C
Half the duration of treatment
D
The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to be reduced by half
9.
What is an 'antipyretic'?
A
A drug that reduces swelling
B
A drug that prevents infection
C
A drug that relieves pain
D
A drug that reduces fever
10.
What does 'drug interaction' refer to?
A
The absorption of a drug in the stomach
B
Taking a drug as prescribed
C
The manufacturing of a drug
D
When one drug affects the activity or effectiveness of another drug when both are taken together
11.
What is a 'generic drug'?
A
A brand-name drug
B
A drug that requires a prescription
C
A medication that is equivalent to a brand-name drug but sold under its chemical name at a lower cost
D
A drug still being tested
12.
What does 'pharmacokinetics' study?
A
How the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes drugs
B
How drugs are manufactured
C
The chemical structure of drugs
D
The history of drug discovery
13.
What is 'tolerance' in pharmacology?
A
The ability to swallow large pills
B
A condition where the body requires increasingly larger doses of a drug to achieve the same effect
C
The maximum safe dose of a drug
D
A drug's shelf stability
14.
What is an 'antihistamine'?
A
A drug that prevents blood clots
B
A drug that increases blood pressure
C
A drug that counteracts the effects of histamine, commonly used to treat allergies
D
A type of vitamin
15.
What does 'over-the-counter' (OTC) mean for medications?
A
A drug that must be injected
B
A drug that is experimental
C
A drug that is only available in hospitals
D
A drug that can be purchased without a prescription

Answer Key

Question 1

D. The science of how drugs interact with biological systems

Question 2

A. The measured quantity of a drug to be taken at one time

Question 3

B. A drug that relieves pain without causing loss of consciousness

Question 4

A. An unwanted or secondary effect that occurs in addition to the desired therapeutic effect

Question 5

C. The proportion of a drug that reaches the bloodstream and is available to have an active effect

Question 6

D. An inactive substance given in place of a real drug, often used in clinical trials

Question 7

D. A condition or factor that makes a particular treatment or procedure inadvisable

Question 8

D. The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to be reduced by half

Question 9

D. A drug that reduces fever

Question 10

D. When one drug affects the activity or effectiveness of another drug when both are taken together

Question 11

C. A medication that is equivalent to a brand-name drug but sold under its chemical name at a lower cost

Question 12

A. How the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and excretes drugs

Question 13

B. A condition where the body requires increasingly larger doses of a drug to achieve the same effect

Question 14

C. A drug that counteracts the effects of histamine, commonly used to treat allergies

Question 15

D. A drug that can be purchased without a prescription

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