RPT 214 Exam 1 Pharmacology Note Cards

Vocabulary practice cards created from RPT 214 Exam 1 study notes covering basic pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, routes of administration, receptors, and bronchodilator categories.

Chemical Drug Name

The drug name that indicates its chemical composition and structure.

Generic Drug Name

The official nonproprietary name of a drug (e.g., albuterol).

Trade / Brand Drug Name

The manufacturer's marketed name for a drug

Phase I

Animals

Phase II

healthy volunteers

Phase III

Individuals with the Disease

Phase IV

Postmarketing

Agonist

A drug or substance that activates a receptor ('GO').

Antagonist

A drug or substance that blocks a receptor.

Potency

The dose needed to produce a given effect; higher potency means a smaller dose is needed.

Efficacy

The maximum effect that a drug can produce.

Drug Half-Life

The time required for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by $50\%$.

Pharmacokinetics (PK)

What the body does to the drug, consisting of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination .

Pharmacodynamics (PD)

What the drug does to the body.

Absorption

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

Distribution

The pharmacokinetic process by which a drug travels through the body.

Metabolism

The process by which a drug is chemically changed in the body, occurring mainly in the liver.

Excretion

The elimination of a drug from the body, occurring mainly through the kidneys and urine.

First-Pass Effect

The phenomenon where an orally swallowed drug is metabolized in the gut wall or liver before reaching systemic circulation.

Enteral Route

Drug administration via the digestive tract (e.g., PO, NG, PEG, PR).

Parenteral Route

Drug administration bypassing the digestive tract, typically by injection (e.g., IV, IM, SC/SQ, IO).

Sublingual Route (SL)

Drug administration under the tongue that is absorbed transmucosally through oral mucosa rather than swallowed.

PO

Per os; drug administration by mouth.

NG

Nasogastric tube; enteral route for administration.

PEG

Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy; feeding tube into the stomach.

PR

Per rectum; rectal route of drug administration.

IV

Intravenous; parenteral injection into a vein.

IM

Intramuscular; parenteral injection into a muscle.

SC / SQ

Subcutaneous; parenteral injection under the skin.

IO

Intraosseous; parenteral administration into bone marrow.

Parenteral Injection Risks

Risks associated with injection routes, including infection, pain/tissue injury, bleeding, rapid adverse effects, and difficulty retrieving the dose once given.

Topical Route

Drug administration applied to a surface.

Transdermal Route

Drug administration absorbed through the skin, often via a patch.

Inhaled Route

Drug administration breathed into the airways/lungs.

Mucosal Route

Drug administration absorbed across a mucous membrane.

Alpha-1 ($\alpha 1$) Receptors

Receptors whose activation causes vascular smooth muscle contraction and vasoconstriction.

Beta-1 ($\beta 1$) Receptors

receptors stimulate the heart.

• ↑ Heart rate (HR)

• ↑ Force of heart contractions

• ↑ Speed of electrical conduction through the heart

Beta-2 ($\beta 2$) Receptors

LUNGS 🫁

cause bronchodilation.

• bronchial smooth muscle.

• Open the airways.

• Make breathing easier.

Three Bronchodilation Mechanisms

1.Stimulate Beta-2 receptors → Relaxes bronchial smooth muscle (SABA/LABA).

2. Block muscarinic receptors → Prevents bronchoconstriction (SAMA/LAMA).

3. Inhibit phosphodiesterase (PDE) → Increases cAMP, causing bronchial smooth muscle relaxation (methylxanthines).

SABA

Short-acting $\beta 2$ agonist used as a rescue bronchodilator (e.g., albuterol).

LABA

Long-acting $\beta 2$ agonist used for maintenance bronchodilation (e.g., salmeterol).

SAMA

Short-acting muscarinic antagonist that blocks muscarinic-mediated bronchoconstriction (e.g., ipratropium).

LAMA

Long-acting muscarinic antagonist that blocks muscarinic-mediated bronchoconstriction (e.g., tiotropium).

Adrenergic $\beta 2$ Agonists

A bronchodilator class that relaxes airways by stimulating $\beta 2$ receptors.

Anticholinergics / Antimuscarinics

A bronchodilator class that relaxes airways by blocking acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors.

Hypotonic Saline

A bland aerosol saline concentration below $0.9\%$ NaCl.

Isotonic Saline

A bland aerosol saline concentration equal to $0.9\%$ NaCl.

Hypertonic Saline

A bland aerosol saline concentration above $0.9\%$ NaCl.

Albuterol

A short-acting $\beta 2$ agonist (SABA) medication.

Salmeterol

A long-acting $\beta 2$ agonist (LABA) medication.

Ipratropium

A short-acting muscarinic antagonist (SAMA) medication.

Tiotropium

A long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) medication.

Cyclic AMP (cAMP)

Intracellular chemical that promotes bronchial smooth muscle relaxation; broken down by PDE.

Parasympathetic Airway Response

Pathological stimulation where acetylcholine acts at M3 receptors to cause bronchoconstriction and secretions; blocked by antimuscarinic drugs.