Synergism occurs when two drugs work together to produce what?

• A. No effect
• B. A reduced effect
• C. An effect greater than their individual effects
• D. The same effect as one drug alone

Answer: (C)

Synergy means two drugs interact to produce a bigger effect than either would produce alone (often more than the sum of their separate effects). That’s why the correct choice describes an effect greater than their individual effects—the combined action is stronger than either drug can achieve by itself. The other possibilities describe no interaction (no effect), an interaction that dampens the effect (reduced effect), or simply the same effect as one drug alone (no interaction). In practice, synergy lets lower doses achieve the desired result, but it also can increase the risk of combined side effects.