Pharmacy Technician Review Flashcards

Flashcards containing pharmacy tech vocabulary and terminology.

Brand Name

Name assigned to a drug by the manufacturer who developed the drug. The drug is patent-protected for approximately 20 years from the date of the patent application.

Generic Name

Name given to a drug, usually identifies the drug's active ingredient; considered bioequivalent to its brand name version

Prefix

Placed at the start of a word to specify its meaning.

Root

The central part of a word.

Suffix

Placed at the end of a word to modify its meaning.

Fat-soluble vitamins

Vitamins that are stored in the body's fatty tissue, including vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Water-soluble vitamins

Vitamins that are not stored in large amounts by the body and are excreted through urine, including B vitamins and vitamin C.

Drug class

A group of medications that work in a similar way or have a similar effect, classified by their pharmacologic effect or mechanism of action.

ACE inhibitors

Medications used to treat hypertension, congestive heart failure, and post-myocardial infarction, known for potential adverse effects like dry cough and angioedema.

ARBS

Medications with the same indications as ACE inhibitors but with a lower risk of dry cough.

Antiarrhythmic agents

Medications used to treat abnormal heart rhythm due to atrial and ventricular fibrillation, but it can cause ADRs.

Anticoagulants

Commonly known as blood thinners, they prevent the formation of blood clots.

Antiplatelet agents

Medications that prevents platelets from sticking together, which reduces the risk of recurrent myocardial infarction, stroke, or angina.

Beta-blockers

Medications used for hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction, and arrhythmias, and Adverse reactions include fatigue, bradycardia, bronchoconstriction, depression..

Calcium channel blockers (CCBs)

Medications used for hypertension, angina, and arrhythmias, Adverse reactions include peripheral edema, palpitations, drowsiness, headache.

Cardiac glycosides

Medications used for congestive heart failure and arrhythmias, Adverse reactions include diarrhea, headache, dizziness, vision changes

Cholesterol-lowering drugs

Medications indicated for hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and reducing the risk of recurrent cardiovascular events, with various subtypes like bile acid sequestrants, fibric acids, and HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors.

Diuretics

Medications that enhance diuresis (increased urine production) to alleviate edema-related hypertension.

Vasodilators

Medications used for angina, hypertension, and congestive heart failure.

Antacids

Medications that are used to treat gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), peptic ulcer disease (PUD), occasional indigestion.

Anti-diarrheal agents

Drugs used to treat diarrhea.

Anti-gas agents

Drugs used to treat flatulence, gas pain.

Anti-inflammatory drugs for gastrointestinal (GI) tract (5-aminosalicylates)

Drugs used to treat ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease.

Anti-nausea agents

Drugs used to treat nausea, vomiting, motion sickness.

Digestive enzymes

Drugs used to treat digestive intolerances due to digestive enzyme insufficiencies.

H2 receptor antagonists

Drugs used to treat GERD, PUD.

Laxative agents

Drugs used to treat constipation.

Mucosal protectants

Drugs used to treat PUD caused by NSAIDs (misoprostol), maintenance therapy for duodenal ulcers (sucralfate).

Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs)

Drugs used to treat GERD, erosive esophagitis, as an adjunct treatment of H. pylori.

Insulin

A medication used for both T1DM and T2DM: stimulates the uptake of glucose into cells from the blood.

Biguanides

A medication used for prediabetes, T2DM. Works in three ways: Decreases the amount of glucose produced, Decreases the absorption of glucose, Improves the body's response to insulin.

Sulfonylureas

A medication used for T2DM (by stimulating insulin secretion).

Dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors

A medication used for T2DM (by increasing insulin secretion and reducing glucagon release).

Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists

A medication used for T2DM (by increasing insulin release).

Sodium-glucose transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors

A medication used for T2DM (by increasing glucose elimination through the urine).

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT)

Medication that are used for hormone deficiency symptoms, development of secondary sex characteristics.

Hypothyroidism medications

Medications that treat hypothyroidism (underactive or surgically removed thyroid).

Hyperthyroidism medications

Medications that treat hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid).

Antibiotics

Medications used to treat bacterial infections, each class with a different mechanism of action.

Antifungal agents

Medications used to treat fungal infections.

Antineoplastics (chemotherapy)

Medications used to treat cancer.

Antiviral agents

Medications used to treat viral infections such as herpes simplex, cytomegalovirus, herpes zoster, influenza prophylaxis, chickenpox, viral infection prophylaxis for organ transplant recipients.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART)

Medications used to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (by limiting the progression of HIV to AIDS).

Immunosuppressants

Medications used in the treatment of numerous autoimmune disorders, immune system conditions, and certain cancers. The main adverse drug reaction is increased risk of infections.

Biologics

Also known as monoclonal antibodies, work in the immune system to reduce inflammation.

Steroids

Medications that treat many autoimmune disorders, asthma, urticaria, Adverse drug reactions with short-term use insomnia, irritability, increased appetite.

Bisphosphonates

Medications used to treat osteoporosis.

Muscle Relaxants

Medications used to treat muscle spasm; Adverse effects include drowsiness, dizziness and hypotension

Analgesics

Medications used to relieve pain.

COX-2 inhibitors

Medications used to relieve acute and chronic pain or inflammation, arthritis

Narcotic analgesics

Medications used to treat acute and chronic pain that is unrelieved by other treatment types.

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

Medications used to treat pain, fever, inflammation.

Salicylates

Medications used to treat pain, fever, inflammation.

Anesthetics

Medications Indication Local anesthetics to numb a select area before surgery or procedures or general anesthetics to induce sedation before surgery or procedure.

Anticonvulsants/anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs)

Medications used to treat epilepsy and other neurological/mood disorders such as fibromyalgia and bipolar disorder. Adverse drug reactions: dizziness, drowsiness

Antidepressants

Medication that have different indications and adverse drug reactions. There are several types

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Type of antidepressant, indications depression, anxiety, eating disorders.

Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs)

Type of antidepressant, indications depression, anxiety disorders, fibromyalgia, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, eating disorders.

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)

Type of antidepressant, indications depression, generalized eating disorders, diabetic peripheral neuropathy, migraine prevention.

Benzodiazepines (BZD)

Medications used to treat anxiety, agitation, alcohol withdrawal, seizures, insomnia.

Migraine treatments

Medications used to treat migraine headaches.

Sedatives

Medications used to treat insomnia

Stimulants

Medications used to treat Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), narcolepsy

Beta-blockers (ophthalmic)

Medications used to treat Glaucoma

Prostaglandin analogs

Medications used to treat Glaucoma

Oral contraceptives

Medications Indication Prevent pregnancy

Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE-5 inhibitors)

Medications used to treat male erectile dysfunction

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs)

Medications used to treat fertility treatment, breast cancer, osteoporosis

Antihistamines

Medications Indication Allergies (e.g. dust mite allergy, pollen allergy)

Antitussives

Medications Indication Acute cough

Decongestants

Medications Indications Nasal or sinus congestion

Inhaled beta-agonists

Medications that are used to treat Asthma, COPD

Inhaled anticholinergics

Medications that are used to treat COPD

Inhaled/nasal corticosteroids

Medications that are used to treat Asthma, COPD

Leukotriene modifiers

Medications that are used to treat Asthma, allergies

Alpha-blockers

Medications used to treat Hypertension, benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH)

Anticholinergic/antimuscarinic drugs for overactive bladder (OAB)

Medications that are used to relieve symptoms of OAB including urinary urgency, frequency, and incontinence

Pharmacology

The study of drugs and their effects on living organisms.

Clinical Pharmacology

The study of how drugs work in the human body.

Pharmacodynamics

What the drug does to the body

Pharmacokinetics

What the body does to the drug

ADME

Stands for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, and these are the four important components of pharmacokinetics.

Absorption

The process of drugs entering the body into the bloodstream.

Distribution

The process where the drug is distributed or dispersed throughout the body.

Metabolism

The process where the drug is broken down by the body, usually in the liver or gastrointestinal (GI) tract. This results in metabolites, which can be inactive or active.

Excretion

After metabolism, the drug is eliminated from the body.

Bioavailability

The amount of the administered drug that reaches the blood circulation and can be used by the body.

Bioequivalent

When two drugs have the same bioavailability, they are deemed to be bioequivalent - i.e. these drugs are absorbed equally into the body.

Agonist drug molecules

Molecules that mimic normal physiological processes in the body. When an agonist drug molecule binds to a receptor, it activates the receptor and generates a response.

Antagonist drug molecules

Molecules that are designed to inhibit or block an agonist from activating a receptor.

Neurotransmitters

Brain chemicals that send messages to the body by binding with specific receptors. Some examples of neurotransmitters are dopamine, epinephrine, histamine, and serotonin.

Therapeutic Index

Indicates the range of doses at which a medication is both effective and safe.

Indication

A reason to use a certain treatment. For example, fluconazole (DiflucanⓇ) is indicated to treat a yeast infection.

Contraindication

A reason not to use a certain treatment due to the harm that it could cause the patient.

Addition

The combined effect of two drugs is equal to the sum of the effects of each drug taken alone. In other words, one drug can add to the effects or side effects of another drug.

Antagonism

The action of one drug antagonizes (blocks or works against) the action of another drug.

Potentiation

One drug enhances or prolongs the effect of another drug.

Synergism

The combined effect of two drugs is greater than the sum of the effect of two drugs. That is: "2 + 2 = 5."

Drug-disease interactions

Occur when a drug that is intended for therapeutic use causes certain harmful effects because of a disease or pre-existing condition that the patient has.

Drug-nutrient interactions

Occur when certain foods or beverages increase or decrease the effects of drugs in the body.