In administering medications, the nurse is aware that most drugs are excreted by the kidneys after being metabolized by the:

1. gallbladder.
2. liver.
3. small intestine.
4. pancreas.


Correct Answer: 2
Rationale 1: The gallbladder stores bile; it does not metabolize drugs.
Rationale 2: When most drugs reach the liver, they are metabolized to less toxic substances that are more easily excreted by the kidneys.
Rationale 3: The small intestine is an important site of drug and nutrient absorption.
Rationale 4: The pancreas has endocrine and exocrine functions; it does not metabolize drugs.
Global Rationale: The liver is one of the most important organs in pharmacology. When most drugs reach the liver, they are metabolized to less toxic substances that are more easily excreted by the kidneys. Along with the kidneys, any drug that reaches the circulation, regardless of its route of administration, will pass through the liver. The gallbladder and pancreas do not metabolize or filter drugs. The small intestine is an area of absorption, not metabolism.

Nursing

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