Pharmacology: practice problems and exam questions

Drug classes, mechanisms of action, side effects and interactions, together with the dosage calculations that go with them.

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Cram pack (PDF)Formula sheets, method steps and practice problems with full solutions, ready to print.

Topics in this course

  1. Pharmacologykey terms and facts · applying the concepts · cases and analysismultiple choice
  2. Dosage calculationstablets and liquids · weight-based doses · doses and concentrationscalculations
  3. Clinical pharmacokineticshalf-life, levels and loading doses · clearance, Vd, S and F · regimen design and renal adjustmentcalculations

Exam tips for Pharmacology

  • Learn drugs by class: the shared ending of a drug name often tells you the class.
  • Link every side effect to the mechanism of action.
  • Check every dose calculation by estimating the answer first.

Worked examples

PharmacologyEasy

Where should an adrenaline (epinephrine) auto-injector be given?

  1. AUnder the tongue
  2. BInto the outer thigh muscle
  3. CInto a vein in the arm
  4. DInto the abdomen under the skin
Show hints
  1. It can be given through clothing.
  2. Two wrong answers are now crossed out. One of the remaining two is right.
Show the answer and explanation

Why this is the answer

The auto-injector is pressed firmly into the outer thigh to give an intramuscular dose. This muscle gives fast, reliable absorption.

Answer

B · Into the outer thigh muscle
Dosage calculationsMedium
17 kgBSA = 0.86 m²250 mg/m²D = ? mg

A patient weighing 17 kg has a body surface area of 0.86 m². The prescription is 250 mg/m². Find the dose D in mg.

17 kgBSA = 0.86 m²250 mg/m²

Find D (mg)

Show hints
  1. The order is per m² of body surface area.
  2. D = dose per m² × BSA. The weight is not needed.
  3. 250·0.86.
Show the answer and the step-by-step solution

Body-surface-area dosing: many cytotoxic and some paediatric doses are prescribed per square metre of body surface area: dose (mg) = dose per m² × BSA (m²). The Mosteller formula estimates BSA = √(height (cm) × weight (kg)/3600).

Dose

D = 250·0.86 = 215 mg

Answer

D = 215 mg

How practising works

  • “Practise this course” mixes problems from all its topics, like a real exam.
  • Every problem has new values, so you learn the method instead of an answer.
  • Stuck? Open a small hint first, and the full explanation only when you need it.
  • Mock exams are timed and have no hints, and you get your score and a full review at the end.

Calculators for this course

Dosage calculator (desired over have)Weight-based dose calculator (mg/kg)Creatinine clearance calculator (Cockcroft–Gault)Loading dose and maintenance dose calculator (pharmacokinetics)

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Practise this course for freePractise this courseTake a mock exam5 free problems every day. No card needed.