Comprehensive Nursing Pharmacology Q 137

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When two drugs given together have an effect equal to the sum of their respective effects, the interaction is known as:

  

     A. Potentiated

     B. Antagonized

     C. Agonist

     D. Additive

    

    

Correct Answer: D. Additive

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An addictive effect occurs when two drugs are given together and their effects are equal to the sum of their respective effects. When two drugs are used together, their effects can be additive (the result is what you expect when you add together the effect of each drug taken independently).

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Option A: Potentiation occurs when the action of one drug is increased by the action of another. Think of two words potentiate and potential together. The potential of one drug is higher when a second drug is added to it.

Option B: An interaction between two or more drugs that have opposite effects on the body. Drug antagonism may block or reduce the effectiveness of one or more of the drugs.

Option C: An agonist is a drug that activates certain receptors in the brain. An agonist is a medication that mimics the action of the signal ligand by binding to and activating a receptor.

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