Which term describes a stronger effect due to accumulation of dose?

• A. Cumulation
• B. Tolerance
• C. Antagonism
• D. Potentiation

Answer: (A)

When the drug is given repeatedly and the body hasn’t cleared the previous amount before the next dose, the total level in the body rises and the effect becomes stronger. This buildup from successive dosing is called cumulation. It explains why a stronger response can occur with ongoing dosing even if each individual dose is the same.

This differs from tolerance, where the body becomes less responsive over time and you’d need more drug for the same effect. It also differs from antagonism, where one substance blocks another’s effect, and from potentiation, where one drug boosts the effect of another (not simply because the same drug is accumulating).