2024 PN NCLEX Questions Nursing Practice Question
Medication bound to protein can have which of the following effects?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: When a medication binds to proteins in the bloodstream, it becomes less available to exert its therapeutic effects. This reduced availability means that only the unbound fraction of the drug can interact with receptors, leading to decreased efficacy.
Option A is incorrect; protein binding does not enhance drug availability but rather limits it. Option B is misleading, as bound drugs typically distribute more slowly to receptor sites due to their attachment to proteins. Option D is also incorrect; protein binding does not inherently increase metabolism, as only free drugs are metabolized by the liver.