PEBC Part I (MCQ) key terms

The fraction of an administered dose of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation in unchanged form. Intravenous administration is defined as 100% bioavailable; oral bioavailability is reduced by incomplete absorption and first-pass metabolism.

A calculated apparent volume relating the total amount of drug in the body to its plasma concentration. It indicates how extensively a drug distributes into tissues; large values suggest extensive tissue binding.

The volume of plasma from which a drug is completely removed per unit time. It reflects elimination by metabolism and excretion and determines the maintenance dose needed to achieve a target steady-state concentration.

The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by half during elimination. It influences dosing interval and time to steady state; approximately five half-lives are needed to reach steady state.

Metabolism of an orally administered drug in the intestinal wall and liver before it reaches the systemic circulation. It can greatly reduce oral bioavailability and may be avoided by parenteral or sublingual routes.

A ratio comparing the dose producing toxicity with the dose producing therapeutic effect. A narrow therapeutic index means small dose changes can cause toxicity or treatment failure, so monitoring is often required.

A family of liver enzymes that metabolize many drugs and endogenous substances. Inhibition or induction of specific isoforms changes drug concentrations and can cause clinically important interactions.

A pharmacologically inactive compound that is converted in the body to an active drug, usually by enzymatic metabolism. Prodrugs are designed to improve absorption, stability, or targeting of the active agent.

The absence of a significant difference in the rate and extent of absorption between two pharmaceutically equivalent products. Regulators use it to approve generic products without repeating full clinical trials.

The study of how genetic variation affects drug response, including efficacy and toxicity. It supports personalized dosing and helps explain interpatient variability in metabolism, transport, and drug targets.

The study of what the body does to a drug, encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion. It determines the time course of drug concentrations and informs dosing regimen design.

The study of what a drug does to the body, including receptor binding, signal transduction, and the resulting physiological effects. It explains dose-response relationships and the mechanism of therapeutic and toxic effects.

The negative logarithm of the acid dissociation constant, indicating the pH at which half of a weak acid or base is ionized. It predicts ionization, lipid solubility, and absorption at different body pH values.

The condition in which drug intake equals elimination, so plasma concentrations fluctuate around a stable average. It is typically reached after about four to five half-lives of regular dosing.

An initial larger dose given to rapidly achieve a target therapeutic concentration before maintenance dosing begins. It depends on volume of distribution and desired concentration, not on clearance.

An estimate of glomerular filtration used to guide renal dose adjustment. It is calculated from serum creatinine, age, sex, and body weight using equations such as Cockcroft-Gault.

The volume of fluid filtered by the kidney glomeruli per unit time, reflecting overall renal function. It guides drug dosing, especially for renally eliminated drugs, and staging of chronic kidney disease.

The preparation of a customized medication by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician to meet a patient's specific need. It may involve mixing, diluting, or flavouring and must follow quality and safety standards.

The date after which a compounded or repackaged preparation should not be used. It is assigned based on stability, storage conditions, and risk level, and is shorter than the manufacturer's expiration date.

Preparation of medications that must be free of microorganisms, such as injections and ophthalmic products. It requires a cleanroom, aseptic technique, and validated procedures to prevent contamination.

A formal process of obtaining and comparing a patient's complete medication list at transitions of care. It identifies discrepancies, prevents omissions and duplications, and reduces medication errors.

Drug names or packaging that appear similar and can be confused, leading to wrong-drug errors. Strategies include tall-man lettering, separate storage, and barcode scanning to reduce selection mistakes.

A harmful or unintended response to a medication at doses normally used for treatment. It may be predictable and dose-related or unpredictable, and should be reported to pharmacovigilance programs.

Measurement of drug concentrations in blood or plasma to individualize dosing, usually for drugs with narrow therapeutic indices or unpredictable pharmacokinetics. It helps maintain concentrations within a safe and effective range.

The extent to which a patient takes medication as prescribed, including timing, dose, and duration. Poor adherence is common and can be addressed through education, simplification, reminders, and shared decision-making.

A patient's voluntary agreement to a treatment or procedure after receiving adequate information about benefits, risks, alternatives, and consequences of refusal. It requires decision-making capacity and should be documented.

The ethical and legal duty to protect a patient's private health information from unauthorized disclosure. It may be breached only with consent or when required by law, such as for certain public health reporting.

The activities and responsibilities that a health professional is legally and competently authorized to perform. It is defined by legislation, regulation, and professional standards and varies by jurisdiction.

A list of medications approved for use within a health system or insurance plan, often with prescribing criteria and tiers. It guides drug selection, coverage decisions, and cost management.

The degree to which individuals can obtain, process, and understand health information needed to make informed decisions. Low health literacy is associated with poor adherence and worse health outcomes.

A collaborative, patient-centred counselling style that explores and strengthens a person's own motivation and commitment to change. It uses open questions, reflective listening, and affirmation rather than advice-giving or confrontation.

Health professionals from different disciplines working together, sharing knowledge and decisions, to deliver coordinated patient care. It improves safety, reduces duplication, and supports comprehensive management of complex conditions.

A study in which participants are randomly assigned to an intervention or control group. Randomization balances known and unknown confounders, allowing causal conclusions about treatment effects.

The number of patients who must receive a treatment for one additional patient to benefit. It is the reciprocal of the absolute risk reduction and helps weigh benefits against harms.

The proportion of people with a condition who correctly test positive. A highly sensitive test is useful for ruling out disease when the result is negative.

The proportion of people without a condition who correctly test negative. A highly specific test is useful for ruling in disease when the result is positive.

The tendency for studies with positive or statistically significant results to be published more often than negative or inconclusive studies. It can distort systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

A digital longitudinal record of a patient's health information, shared across care settings. It supports clinical decision-making, medication safety checks, and data exchange among providers.

The ability of bacteria to survive and grow in the presence of antibiotics that would normally kill or inhibit them. It results from genetic mutations or acquired resistance genes and is driven by inappropriate antibiotic use.

An excessive or inappropriate immune response to an antigen, causing tissue damage or disease. It is classified into four types and can range from mild rash to life-threatening anaphylaxis.