What term describes the repeated administration of a drug causing effects more pronounced than those produced by the first dose?

• A. Tachyphylaxis
• B. Cumulative Effect
• C. Tolerance
• D. Sensitization

Answer: (B)

Repeated dosing can lead to the drug building up in the body because some of the previous dose hasn’t been eliminated before the next one is given. This causes higher overall exposure than after the first dose, so the effect can be more pronounced. This is known as the cumulative effect. It depends on pharmacokinetics: how long the drug stays in the body (half-life), how often you dose, and how well it’s cleared. If dosing continues before complete clearance, each dose adds to what’s already present, and the body reaches a steady state where the average concentration is higher than after a single dose.

For contrast, tachyphylaxis is a rapid decline in response with repeated use, tolerance is a diminishing effect over time requiring larger doses, and sensitization is an increasing response with repeated exposure. These describe different ways the body's response to a drug can change.