Fundamentals of Nursing Pharmacology Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts in nursing pharmacology, including drug terminology, administration principles, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacotherapeutics, and medication safety guidelines.

Pharmacology

The science dealing with the actions of drugs on or within the body.

Chemical Name

The drug name that describes its exact molecular and atomic structure.

Generic Name

The nonproprietary name of a drug, which is an abbreviation of its chemical name.

Trade Name

The brand or proprietary name selected by the pharmaceutical company selling the drug product.

Pharmacologic Class

A group of drugs that share similar characteristics and perform in the same mechanism (e.g., beta-adrenergic blockers).

Therapeutic Class

A system of categorizing drugs based on their clinical or therapeutic use (e.g., antihypertensives).

Alkaloids

The most active plant component that reacts with acids to form a salt capable of dissolving readily in body fluids, usually ending in 'ine' (e.g., atropine, caffeine).

Glycosides

Plant components containing active organic substances that exert both beneficial and toxic effects, usually ending in 'in' (e.g., digoxin).

Pharmacokinetics

The movement of drugs through the body, consisting of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Absorption

The process occurring from drug administration until it passes into tissues and becomes available for body use.

Passive Transport

Cellular movement of a drug from an area of higher concentration to lower concentration (diffusion) requiring no cellular energy.

Active Transport

Cellular transport requiring energy to move a drug from an area of lower concentration to an area of higher concentration.

Pinocytosis

A form of active transport occurring when a cell engulfs a drug particle, common in transporting fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K).

First Pass Effect

The inactivation of oral or enteral medications by hepatic and intestinal enzymes before reaching systemic circulation.

Distribution

The process by which medication is transported throughout the body depending on blood flow, tissue solubility, and protein-binding capacity.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The enzymatic breakdown of a drug molecule into a more water-soluble form for elimination, taking place primarily in the liver.

Prodrugs

Medications administered as inactive compounds that do not exert pharmacologic activity until transformed by metabolism.

Excretion

The final pharmacokinetic stage in which the body eliminates metabolic drug waste, primarily via renal filtration into urine.

Drug Half-Life

The time required for the body to eliminate one half of the administered drug concentration.

Steady State

The equilibrium state attained when the rate of drug administration equals the rate of excretion, typically achieved after 4 to 5 half-lives.

Onset of Action

The time interval beginning when a drug is administered and ending when a therapeutic effect first appears.

Peak Concentration

The point at which a drug's absorption rate equals its rate of elimination.

Duration of Action

The length of time a medication maintains its intended therapeutic effect.

Efficacy

The inherent ability of a drug to produce a desired or intended therapeutic effect.

Bioavailability

The fraction or percentage of an administered drug dose that enters systemic circulation intact.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs and their underlying mechanisms of action inside the body.

Potency

The specific amount or dosage of medication required to produce a given therapeutic response.

Agonist

A substance that binds to a specific receptor site and activates it to trigger a biological response.

Antagonist

A agent with affinity for a receptor that prevents or blocks the activity of an agonist without producing an intrinsic response.

Therapeutic Index

A quantitative measurement evaluating the relative safety margin of a drug based on effective versus toxic dosage values.

Therapeutic Window

The range of drug concentration between the minimally effective dosage and the onset of adverse toxicity.

Peak Level

The maximum concentration of a drug in the blood, measured shortly after administration.

Trough Level

The lowest concentration of a drug in the bloodstream, measured immediately prior to the next scheduled dose.

Pharmacotherapeutics

The clinical utilization of drugs to treat, control, or prevent diseases and symptoms.

Acute Therapy

Drug therapy implemented for critical conditions requiring immediate intervention.

Empiric Therapy

Treatment initiated based on clinical experience and practical judgment prior to obtaining definitive scientific data.

Maintenance Therapy

Treatment prescribed for chronic conditions to prevent disease progression or persistent symptoms.

Supportive Therapy

Treatment that maintains vital organ systems while a patient recovers, without directly treating the root cause of the illness.

Palliative Therapy

Therapeutic care focused on providing relief from symptoms and improving quality of life in serious or terminal illnesses.

Drug Tolerance

A condition characterized by a diminished response to a drug over time, requiring larger doses to achieve the initial effect.

Drug Dependence

A physiological or psychological state where continued administration of a drug is required to avoid withdrawal or distress.

Additive Effect

An interaction occurring when two drugs with similar actions produce a combined effect equal to the sum of individual effects ($1 + 1 = 2$).

Synergistic Effect

An interaction occurring when two drugs administered together produce a response greater than the sum of their individual effects ($1 + 1 = 3$).

Antagonistic Interaction

A drug interaction where the combined effect of two agents is less than the response produced by either drug alone ($2 + 2 = 1$).

Side Effects

Expected, secondary drug effects (therapeutic or non-therapeutic) that do not alter the drug's primary therapeutic objective.

Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR)

An unintended, harmful response to a medication that negatively affects clinical outcomes and patient safety.

Type A Adverse Reaction

A predictable, dose-dependent adverse drug reaction stemming from exaggerated therapeutic effects or toxicity.

Type B Adverse Reaction

An unpredictable, non-dose-dependent reaction related to patient-specific factors, such as hypersensitivity or idiosyncratic responses.

Clinical Judgment Measurement Model (CJMM)

A structured framework describing the observed outcomes of critical thinking and decision-making in nursing practice.

Medication Reconciliation

The formal procedure of comparing a patient's current medication orders against all medications previously taken across transitions of care.

Black Box Warning

A prominent warning issued by the FDA on pharmaceutical packaging highlighting significant, life-threatening risks.

Teach-Back Method

An evidence-based health communication technique where patients explain health information back in their own words to confirm understanding.

A PINCH

An acronym listing high-risk drug classifications: Anti-infectives, Potassium/electrolytes, Insulin, Narcotics/sedatives, Chemotherapeutics, and Heparin/anticoagulants.