Pharmacology Principles and Terminology Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering fundamental terminology, ethical concepts, legal definitions, and drug action phases from the introductory pharmacology lecture.

Pharmaceutic phase

The initial phase of drug action that occurs in the mouth for oral medications, where saliva and digestive enzymes begin breaking the drug down.

Excipient

A substance added to an oral drug that helps it break down quicker in the body.

Hepatic first pass effect

The process where oral medications pass from the small intestine into hepatic portal circulation and the liver, where a portion of the drug is broken down and excreted before reaching systemic circulation.

Bioavailability

The percentage or portion of an administered drug that reaches the systemic circulation to produce its intended therapeutic effect.

Free drug

The active portion of a drug floating in the bloodstream that is not bound to plasma protein and is available to exert its effect on the body.

Half-life

The time required for half of a drug's concentration to be totally eliminated from the body.

Loading dose

A higher-than-normal initial dose of a medication given to rapidly achieve therapeutic levels and get a situation under control.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of how drugs work and exert their physiological effects when inside the body.

Critical concentration

The specific amount of a drug required in the body to cause a therapeutic effect.

Peak level

The highest concentration or amount of a drug present in the body.

Trough level

The lowest concentration or amount of a drug present in the body before the next dose is administered.

Agonist

A drug that binds to and activates specific cell receptors to stimulate or produce a biological response.

Antagonist

A drug that binds to cell receptors to block or prevent a specific biological response.

Misfeasance

Negligence in drug administration, such as administering a medication appropriately but without knowing its purpose or parameters, resulting in patient harm.

Nonfeasance

An omission of care in drug administration, such as forgetting or failing to give a scheduled medication dose on time.

Malfeasance

An intentional wrong act performed during medication administration that knowingly causes harm to a patient.

Paradoxical effect

An unexpected medication response where the outcome is directly opposite to the intended therapeutic effect.

Tachyphylaxis

An acute and rapid decrease in a patient's responsiveness to a drug over a short period of time.

Selective toxicity

The ability of a drug to target and kill specific harmful cells while bypassing and sparing healthy cells.

Autonomy

The core ethical principle establishing a patient's right to self-determination, including the right to refuse medication unless they pose a risk to others.