Chapter 12- Principles of Pharmacology

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Pharmacology

science of drugs, including their ingredients, preparation, uses, and actions on the body

Medication

substance that is used to treat or prevent disease or relieve pain

Pharmacodynamics

process by which a medication works on the body

Agnosists

medications that cause stimulation of receptors

Antagonists

medications that bind to a receptor or block other medications from attaching

Pharmacokinetics

how the body absorbs, distributes, changes, or eliminates a particular substance

Onset of Action

time from administration until clinical effects occur

Duration

length of time that clinical effects persist

Elimination

how medications are removed from the body

Peak

point or period when maximum effect is achieved

Indications

reasons or conditions for which a particular medication is given

Contraindications

signs a medication should not be given

Adverse Effects

any actions other than desired ones

Unintended

Harmless side effects

Untoward

Harmful side effects

Enteral Medications

enter the body through the digestive system

Sublingual

under the tongue

Per rectum

via the rectum

Parenteral Medications

enter the body via a route other than the digestive tract, the skin, or the mucous membranes

Intravenous

through the veins

Intraosseous

painful injection

Intranasal

through the nose

Intramuscular

through the muscle

Subcutaneous

injection through the fatty tissue

Transcuutaneous

adhesive patches

Capsules

gelation shells filled with powder or liquid medication

Tablets

designed to dissolve quickly, given sublingually

Solution

liquid mixture of one or more substances that cannot be separated by filtering or allowing the mixture to stand

Suspension

substances that do not dissolve well in liquids ground into fine particles and evenly distributed throughout a liquid by shaking or stirring

Metered Dose Inhaler

miniature spray canister used to direct substances through the mouth and into the lungs

Topical Medications

lotions & creams applied to the surface of the skin

Gels

semiliquid substance that is administered orally in capsule form

The Nine Rights of Administering Medications

Patient

Medication & Indications

Dose

Route

Time

Education

Refuse

Response

Documentation

Peer-Assisted Medication

administering medication to yourself or partner

Patient-Assisted Medication

assisting the patient with the administration of their own meds

EMT-Administered Medication

directly administering medication to the patient

Oral Glucose

only given by mouth, used to treat hypoglycemia

Aspirin

used to reduce fever, reduce pain, and reduce inflammation

inhibits clumping

used during heart attacks

Aspirin Contraindictions

documented hypersensitivity to aspirin

Preexisting liver damage

Bleeding disorder

Asthma

Nitroglycerin

increases the blood flow by relieving spasms or causing the arteries to dilate by relaxing the muscular walls of the coronary arteries and veins

Contraindications of Nitroglycerin

Systolic blood pressure <100

Used erectile dysfunction medication in the past 24 hours

Epinephrine

mimics the effect of the sympathetic nervous system

increases the heart rate and blood pressure/dilated passages in the lungs

Contraindications of Epinephrine

Does not show signs of airway obstruction or wheezing

Have hypertension, hypothermia, or suspected MI

Naloxone

used for opioid overdose

Oxygen

used for people struggling for breathing or not breathing

Small Volume Nebulizers

easier to use than inhalers but take longer to deliver meds and require an external air source

Antiplatelet

decrease the ability of blood platelets to aggregate

Anticoagulant

interfere with blood-clotting mechanisms in the body

Medication Erro

inappropriate use of a medication that could lead to patient harm