Pharmacology Terms

Active Ingredient

Component in med that produces intended therapeutic effect

Adverse effect

Unintended, and usually harmful effect of a med in addition to intended effect

Agonist

A drug that binds to receptors and activates it

Alleviate

Using meds to reduce severity of symptoms while curing the condition

Antagonist

A drug that binds to receptors and blocks response

Bioavailability

The percent/ fraction of a drug that reaches the circulation and can have an effect

Brand Name

Recognizable name to patients

Chemical Name

Detailed, scientific description of a drugs molecular structure

Contraindication

Condition/ situation in which a drug shouldn’t be used because it could be harmful

Cure

Complete elimination or resolution of a disease or condition through treatment

Dietary + Herbal Supplements

Vitamins, minerals, or herbs that may affect health and interact with meds

Dosage form

Tablets, Liquid, Capsules, Injectables

Dose

Specific amount of med to be taken at once

Duration

How long a med should be used for

Efficacy

How well a drug can perform its intended use under normal conditions

Frequency

How often a med is to be taken

Half Life

Time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the bloodstream to decrease by half (50%)

Indication

Condition or disease a drug is intended to treat or manage

Manage

Using meds to control symptoms or progression of a chronic condition

Mechanism of Action

How a drug exerts its therapeutic effect

Medication

Substance used to treat, cure, or prevent a disease (“Drug”)

Metabolite

Substance resulting from the body’s chemical mod of a drug, can be active or inactive

OTC

Does not require prescription

Pharmacodynamics

What the drug does to the body

Pharmacokinetics

What the body does to a drug

Potency

How much of a drug needed to achieve specific effect

Prescription (Rx) Med

Need prescription

Prevent

Using meds or vaccines to stop a disease or condition before it starts or worsens

Quantity

Total amount of med dispensed to fulfill a prescription

Risk-Benefit

Process of weighing a drugs potential positive outcomes against potential harms

Side effects

Expected effect in addition to intended purpose. May be beneficial but often harmful

Volume of Distribution (Vd)

Measurement of how extensively a drug spreads throughout the body tissues