Pharmacology Exam 1

Pharmacology

the study of drugs and their interactions with living systems

Code name

name assigned by a manufacturer to an experimental chemical that shows potential as a drug

Chemical name

The name that describes the chemical composition and molecular structure of a drug

Generic name

the original designation that a drug is given when the drug company that developed it applies for the approval process

Official name

generic name

Trade name

The commercial name given to a drug product by its manufacturer; also called the proprietary name or brand name

Enteral administration

referring to a route of medication administration that uses the gastrointestinal tract, such as swallowing a pill

Parenteral administration

by injection

Intravenous (IV)

injected directly into a vein

Intramuscular (IM)

injection deep into a skeletal muscle

Subcutaneous (SC)

injected into the subcutaneous tissue beneath the epidermis and dermis

Intrathecal (IT)

injected into the arachnoid membrane of the spinal cord to diffuse throughout the spinal fluid

Intraosseous (IO)

injected into the marrow of the bone

Transdermal administration

A medication is absorbed through the skin

Inhalation administration

The administration of medication by way of air or other vapor being drawn into the lungs

Topical

applied directly to the skin or mucus membranes

Site of metabolism

liver

Site of excretion

kidneys

What percentage of aerosol reaches the lower respiratory tract?

10% - 20%

Synergism

combination of two drugs causes an effect that is greater than the sum of the individual effects of each drug alone

Potentiation

The action of two drugs in which one prolongs or multiplies the effect of the other

Tachyphylaxis

rapid decrease in response to a drug

ED50 (effective dose)

The dose required to achieve 50% of the desired response in 50% of the population

Hypersensitivity

an exaggerated response by the immune system to a particular substance

Bioavailability

the extent to which the body can absorb and use a nutrient

Pharmacokinetics

The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed within the body, metabolized, and excreted

Half-Life (Pharmacokinetics)

the time required for half of an administered dose of drug to be eliminated by the body, or the time it takes for the blood level of a drug to be reduced by 50% (also called elimination half-life).

Main use of aerosol therapy

To open the airways

Nebulizers

devices that deliver medication through the nose or mouth in a fine spray to the respiratory tract

Jet (pneumatic) nebulizers

• small reservoir gas powered

• 4 categories: with reservoir tube, with collection bag/elastomeric ball, breath enhanced, breath actuated

• factors effecting: dead volume, filling volume and treatment time, and effect of flow rate and pressure, type of power gas, device interface, type of solution

Mesh Nebulizer

Move the liquid formulations through a fine plate or mesh with multiple apertures (small holes) to generate aerosol

Ultrasonic Nebulizer

Alternative to a pneumatic nebulizer that utilizes an ultrasonically driven crystal to vibrate the sample into droplets; tends to produce small, monodisperse droplet size distribution

pMDI advantages

• portable

• effective drug delivery

• treatment time is short

• more than 100 doses are available

pMDI disadvantages

• foreign body aspiration may occur

• fixed drug doses

• improper use

DPIs advantages

• portable and small

• breath actuation

• built in dose counter

• won't cause bronchospasm

DPIs disadvantages

• powder can irritate the throat and lungs

• less convenient than MDIs (more complex devices)

Factors affecting metered dose inhaler (MDI) performance

• loss of dose

• shaking the canister

• timing of actuation intervals

• loss of prime

• storage temperature

• nozzle size and cleanliness

• breathing technique

• patient characteristics

Therapeutics

Art of treating disease with drugs

Dead space

The portion of the tidal volume that does not reach the alveoli and thus does not participate in gas exchange.

Over the counter drugs (OTC)

• does not require prescription

• can be hazardous

• self treatment could mask or complicate serious medical condition

Drops as units of volume

16 drops (gtts) = 1 mL

Teaspoon

1 teaspoon = 5 mL = 60 drops

Tablespoon

1 tablespoon = 15 mL (3 teaspoons)

Cup

1 cup = 240 mL (8 fl oz)

United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary (USP-NF)

Is the authority on drug information

FDA

Approves new drugs for marketing

Aerosol delivery advantage

• aerosol doses are smaller

• rapid action

• fewer and less severe side affects

Aerosol delivery disadvantages

• lack of knowledge about device and administration protocols

• patients have difficulty in coordinating hand action and breathing with MDIs

• many devices are confusing for practitioners and patients

• inconsistent doses

Lipid diffusion

process by which drug dissolves in the lipid components of cell membranes, facilitated by a high degree of lipid solubility of the drug

The study of toxic substances

Toxicology

Aerosol

A type of colloid in which liquid drops or solid particles are spread throughout a gas

What drug is given during codes?

Anti- arrhythmic

Neuromuscular agents

most of the clinical applications for nicotinic receptor blockers involve agents used for muscle relaxation and paralysis during general anesthesia

Tolerance

A progressive decrease in a person's responsiveness to a drug

Drug dosage forms

-Solids (tablets, capsules, powders)

-Liquids (solutions, suspensions, emulsions)

-Semisolids (ointments, creams, gels)

Pharmacokinetic phases

1. Absorption

2. Distribution - the process a drug is transported to its site of action, eliminated, or stored

3. Metabolism

4. Excretion

Agonists

A drug or chemical that binds to a corresponding receptor and initiates a cellular affect or response

Anagonists

drugs that bind with receptors but do not activate them. they block receptor action by preventing other drugs or substances from activating them

What is the purpose of a anti-static valved holding chamber?

Helps keep the medicine from sticking to the sides of the chamber