Health Care Delivery System and Pharmacology

Vocabulary flashcards related to the Health Care Delivery System and pharmacology focusing on key terms and definitions.

Aging baby boomer generation

A demographic group causing increased demand on health care as they age.

Physician shortage

A lack of sufficient physicians, particularly in primary and rural care.

Healthcare reform

Changes in policy impacting insurance coverage for various procedures.

Primary care

Health services focusing on overall health maintenance and preventive care.

Secondary care

Specialized care following referrals from primary care providers.

Tertiary care

Highly specialized consultative care typically demanding more resources.

Restorative care

Care aimed at helping patients recover to their previous level of function.

Palliative care

Comprehensive care aimed at relieving symptoms and improving quality of life.

Hospice care

Transitional care focused on comfort when life-prolonging treatments are unbeneficial.

Social determinants of health

Conditions affecting individuals' health based on factors like socioeconomic status.

Dyjoxin toxicity

Toxic condition resulting from an overdose of digoxin, a heart medication.

Pharmacokinetics

Study of how medications enter, act on, and exit the body.

Absorption

Process where medication molecules pass into the bloodstream.

Distribution

Movement of absorbed drugs throughout the body to target sites.

Metabolism

Chemical alteration of drugs mainly performed by the liver.

Excretion

Removal of drugs from the body through various systems.

Therapeutic effects

Expected, beneficial responses produced by medication.

Adverse effects

Undesired and often unexpected reactions to medications.

Side effects

Predictable adverse effects that occur at therapeutic doses.

Toxic effects

Develop following prolonged use or accumulation of drugs in the body.

Steven-Johnson Syndrome

A severe skin reaction occurring due to certain medications.

Idiosyncratic reaction

An abnormal response to a medication that is unique to an individual.

Routes of administration

Various methods by which drugs are introduced into the body.

Parenteral

Drug administration that bypasses the gastrointestinal tract, typically via injection.

Topical

Medications applied to the skin for localized action.

AC, ac

Before meals in medical prescription terms.

PRN

As needed; indicating medications taken on an as-required basis.

BID

Twice a day; used in prescribing drug administration schedules.

PC, pc

After meals; indicates timing for medication administration.

Qh

Every hour; often seen in medication schedules.

TID

Three times a day; a standard prescription term.

Household equivalents

Conversions used to standardize medication dosing measurements.

Insulin syringes

Used for measuring and administering insulin in units.

Seven Rights of Medication Administration

Key principles guiding safe medication administration.

Pharmacotherapeutics

Use of drugs for diagnosis, prevention, or treatment of diseases.

Effectiveness

A drug's ability to produce the desired therapeutic response.

Safety

The capacity of a drug to not produce harmful effects.

Selectivity

A medication's capability to elicit only the intended response.

Randomized Control Trial (RCT)

A study design that helps objectively determine the efficacy of treatments.

Blinding

A method to prevent bias by keeping participants unaware of group assignments.

Phase 4 trials

Postmarketing surveillance that monitors drug's effects in the general population.

Drug absorption

The movement of a drug from its administration site into the bloodstream.

Blood-brain barrier

A selective barrier that protects the brain from certain substances in the blood.

Lipid-soluble drugs

Drugs that can easily cross cell membranes due to their fat-soluble nature.

Prodrugs

Inactive compounds that become active through metabolic conversion.

N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone

A toxic metabolite derived from acetaminophen, leading to liver damage.

Renal drug excretion

The removal of drugs via kidneys, a major pathway for drug clearance.

Therapeutic index

A measure of the safety of a drug, determined by the ratio of effective dose to lethal dose.

Binding at receptor site

Interaction between a drug and its target receptor to produce an effect.

Agonist

A substance that activates a receptor, producing a physiological response.

Antagonist

A substance that binds to a receptor but does not activate it, blocking its action.

Placebo effect

A beneficial effect resulting from a patient's expectations rather than the treatment itself.

Drug-food interaction

Changes in drug effectiveness due to concurrent food consumption.

Non-opioid analgesics

Pain relievers that do not involve opioids, e.g., acetaminophen and NSAIDs.

Opioid analgesics

Powerful pain relievers derived from opium, used for moderate to severe pain.

Opiate receptors

Specific receptors in the brain and spinal cord that respond to opioid drugs.

Mu receptors

Receptors primarily responsible for the effects of morphine and related drugs.

Kappa receptors

Opioid receptors that mediate some analgesic and sedative effects.

Partial agonist

A substance that produces a weaker response at a receptor than a full agonist.

Narcan

An opioid antagonist used to reverse respiratory depression from opioid overdose.

Fentanyl

A potent synthetic opioid used for severe pain management.

Hydrocodone

An opioid used for pain relief, often combined with acetaminophen.

Opioid antagonists

Drugs that block the effects of opioids, often used in overdose treatment.

First-generation NSAIDs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that inhibit COX enzymes.

Aspirin

A common NSAID used to reduce pain, inflammation, and prevent blood clots.

Acetaminophen

An analgesic and antipyretic that does not have anti-inflammatory properties.

Steven-Johnson Syndrome

A rare but serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes caused by medication.