intro to pharmacology

what is the generic name?

the standardized, nonproprietary name of a drug

used everywhere, regardless of manufacturer

what is the brand/trade name?

the manufacturer-specific marketed name; the same drug may have several

what are prescription medications?

ordered by a licensed provider; require professional oversight for dosing, indication, and monitoring

what are over-the-counter (OTC) medications?

available without a prescription but still pharmacologically active and capable of causing harm or interactions

3 core areas of pharmacology

pharmaceutics

pharmacokinetics

pharmacodynamics

what is pharmaceutics?

what happens to the drug dosage form before it becomes available to the body

what are common dosage forms?

tablets

capsules

liquids

creams/ointments

transdermal patches

injectable solutions

what are examples of routes of administration?

oral

sublingual

topical/transdermal

inhalation

subcutaneous

intramuscular

intravenous

what is an extended-release (ER) formulation?

release medication slowly over time

• DON’T crush

what are immediate-release (IR) formulations?

act quickly

what is pharmokinetics?

what the body does to the drug; how it absorbs it

steps of what the body does to a drug

absorption

distribution

metabolism

excretion

what is absorption?

movement of a medication from its site of administration into the bloodstream

what are some factors of absorption?

routes of administration

blood flow to the site

drug formulation

presence of food

GI function

what is distribution?

movement of a medication throughout the body once it has entered circulation

what are some influences of distribution?

blood flow to tissues

protein binding

body composition

the blood-brain barrier

what is metabolism?

biochemical alteration of a drug, occurring primarily in the liver, that prepares it for elimination

what is excretion?

removal of a medication (and its metabolites) from the body, primarily through the kidneys (or stool)

what is pharmacodynamics?

what the drug does to the body

what is an agonist?

activates a receptor to produce a therapeutic effect

what is an antagonist?

blocks a receptor

what is an expected/therapeutic action?

the intended physiological effect of the medication

what is a therapeutic use/indication?

condition for which the medication is given

what is a side effect?

secondary effect that may or may not be harmful

what is an adverse drug reaction (ADR)?

unintended, potentially harmful response

• ex: severe rash, bleeding, anaphylaxis

what is tolerance?

reduced response over time → may require higher doses (distinct from addiction/dependence)

what is toxicity?

harm from excessive drug exposure from overdose, accumulation, or impaired clearance

what are precautions?

situations requiring additional assessment, monitoring, or dose adjustment

examples of precautions?

older adults

pregnancy

renal impairment

hepatic impairment

history of allergies

what are contraindications?

conditions where risk outweighs benefits → medication generally should not be used

what are absolute contraindications?

never use, regardless of circumstance

what are relative contraindications?

use only if benefit clearly justifies the risk, with close monitoring

what is a drug-drug interaction?

one medication changes the effect of another

what is a drug-food interaction?

food alters absorption or medication effect

what is a drug-disease interaction?

a medication worsens an exisiting condition

what should you do about drug-herbal/supplement interaction?

ask specifically about supplements

what should you do before administering medication?

verify medication, patient, dose, route, time

check allergies

assess indication

review contraindications/interactions

review labs and vital signs

what should you do during administering medication?

administer using appropriate technique

monitor for immediate reactions

educate the patient

what should you do after administering medication?

evaluate therapeutic response

monitor for adverse effects

document response

communicate concerns