PHARMACOLOGY

Flashcards related to pharmacology lecture notes for nursing students.

-actone (Potassium-Sparing Diuretics)

Increase the fluid excreted by the kidneys, while retaining potassium in the body; reduce cardiovascular congestion and edema resulting from CHF; lower blood pressure.

-ase (Thrombolytics)

“Clot busters” that break down clots, restoring blood flow.

-azine (Antiemetics)

Treat and prevent nausea and vomiting.

-caine (Local Anesthetics)

Prevent the transmission of nerve impulses or pain without causing unconsciousness.

-dipine (Calcium Channel Blockers)

Relax blood vessels, increasing blood supply and oxygen to the heart, reducing the heart’s workload and lowers blood pressure.

-ine (Antihistamines)

Treat allergy symptoms.

-sartan (Angiotensin-II Receptor Blockers)

Inhibit blood vessel constriction, helping blood vessels relax, which lowers blood pressure.

-thiazide (Thiazide Diuretics)

Increase fluid and potassium excreted by the kidneys; reduces cardiovascular congestion and edema that results from CHF; lowers blood pressure.

-tidine (H2-receptor Antagonists (H2 Blockers))

Block the action of histamine in the stomach, decreasing the production of stomach acid.

-triptyline (Tricyclic Antidepressants)

Treat depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, OCD, and other mood disorders.

Antibiotics

Powerful medications that treat certain infections by stopping bacteria from reproducing or destroying them.

Beta-blockers

Block the effects of adrenaline, prescribed in the treatment of angina, heart attack, congestive heart failure, and abnormal heart rhythms.

Diuretics

Help the body get rid of excess fluid and sodium, reducing the workload of the heart and fluid buildup in the lungs and elsewhere in the body.

Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers

Relieve pain from a variety of problems, including (but not limited to) arthritis, back strains and sprains, broken bones, and headaches.

Steroids (as prescription pain relievers)

Strong anti-inflammatory drugs used to treat migraines and severe arthritis and back pain.

Antidepressants (as prescription pain relievers)

Work on chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain; include tricyclics and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Anti-seizure medications (as prescription pain relievers)

Medications for epilepsy that interrupt pain messages to the brain; ease nerve pain and fibromyalgia.

Muscle Relaxers (as prescription pain relievers)

Reduce pain by relaxing tight muscles and relieve muscle spasms.

Opioids (as prescription pain relievers)

Lab-made narcotic pain medicines that change how the brain perceives pain messages; rarely prescribed for chronic pain due to addictive potential.

Lithium

Medications used to treat mania and to prevent further episodes of mania and depression; common side-effects include increased thirst and urination, nausea, weight gain and a fine trembling of the hands.

Divalproex

An anticonvulsant medication used for acute manic episodes.

Carbamazepine

Mood Stabilizing; dizziness, drowsiness, blurred vision, confusion, muscle tremor, nausea, vomiting or mild cramps, increased sensitivity to sun, skin sensitivity and rashes, and poor co-ordination.

Lamotrigine

Mood stabilizer for depression in bipolar disorder; the starting dose should be very low and increased very slowly over four weeks or more to decrease the risk of a severe rash.

Immunosuppressants

Drugs or medicines that lower the body's ability to reject a transplanted organ.

Cyclosporines

An immunosuppressive medicine that helps prevent organ rejection; dose is based on lab values.

Tacrolimus

Helps prevent organ rejection; dose is based on lab values; blood levels can be altered by some medicines – contact transplant team before taking any new drugs.

CellCept

an immunosuppressive medicine that helps prevent organ rejection; take on an empty stomach.

Prednisone

An immunosuppressive medicine that helps prevent organ rejection; medication available in liquid formulation of 1mg/cc concentration is recommended.

Dosage Calculations Example

administer 1 L (1,000 mL) of fluid over 4 hours gives flow rate: 250 mL/hr

Medication administration route

Often classified by the location at which the drug is administered, such as oral or intravenous.

Sublingual and Buccal Routes

Rapid absorption due to the abundant mucosal network of systemic veins and lymphatics, thereby leading to a rapid onset of action; avoids first-pass hepatic metabolism

Rectal Route

This route is useful for patients with gastrointestinal motility problems such as dysphagia or ileus that can interfere with delivering the drug to the intestinal tract.

Intravenous Route

Can be utilized in administering nasal decongestants for cold or allergy treatment.

Mood Stabilizing Medication

May work in different ways to bring stability and calm to areas of the brain that have become overstimulated and overactive, or to prevent this state from developing.

Benzodiazepines

Used to treat panic, anxiety, and to control certain types of seizures, benzodiazepines are a class of sedative medications.

Chlordiazepoxide

Benzodiazepines that are FDA-approved to manage acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome; (e.g., Librium).

Disulfiram

Antabuse); inhibits an enzyme used to metabolize alcohol, resulting in unpleasant effects if alcohol is consumed.

Naltrexone

Approved by the FDA as treatment for alcohol dependence; reduces the urge or desire to drink, helping them stay abstinent and interfering with their desire to continue drinking if they have a sip of alcohol.

Acamprosate

Used alongside counseling and social support, to restore a balance in the central nervous system between the glutamate and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, respectively.

Antivirals

Medications that help your body fight off certain viruses that can cause disease.

Chemotherapy Medication

Use medicines to stop or slow the growth of breast cancer cells; a systemic therapy because it travels through the bloodstream and affects the whole body.

Prednisone

Used to treat asthma, allergies, and arthritis.

RIFAPENTINE

Used to treat of tuberculosis (TB). This medicine is never used alone for tuberculosis, but in combination with at least one other agent.

Dexamethasone

Used to treat inflammation of the skin, joints, lungs, and other organs.

ACETYLCYSTEINE

A drug that loosens and thins mucus in the lungs. It is used to make breathing easier in patients with bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, emphysema, tuberculosis, or other lung problems.

Depression

Most often in early adulthood, more common in women affects your brain, so drugs that work in your brain may prove beneficial.

Autonomy

Is recognizing each individual patient’s right to self- determination and decision-making.

Justice

that there should be an element of fairness in all medical and nursing decisions and care.Nurses must care for all patients with the same level of fairness despite the individual's financial abilities, race, religion, gender, and/or sexual orientation.

Beneficence

is acting for the good and welfare of others and including such attributes as kindness and charity. The American Nurses Association defines this as “actions guided by compassion.”

Nonmaleficence

Is to do no harm. This is the most well known of the main principles of nursing ethics. More specifically, it is selecting interventions and care that will cause the least amount of harm to achieve a beneficial outcome

Plant alkaloids

These are drugs that come from plants and have anti-tumor properties

Anti-tumor antibiotics

Are chemicals that interfere with enzymes that support growth in cancer cells

Bronchodilators Medication

Dilate the bronchi and bronchioles, decreasing resistance in the airway and increasing airflow to the lungs

SSRIs

A class of drugs commonly known as antidepressants. They can be prescribed to treat major depressive disorder and other psychological conditions like anxiety disorders and PTSD.

Anti-Anxiety Medications

May be prescribed for adults with PTSD if the anxiety prevents engagement in normal, daily activities. For example, if anxiety is so bad, attending work or school becomes problematic

Diuretics

Used to increase urine output and reduce fluid buildup in the body.

Spasmolytics

A class of medications that act on smooth muscles to relieve muscle spasms or involuntary contractions

Advantages of the Rectal Route

Safe for children and elders; a relatively big amount of the drug can be administered; Rate of absorption is uninfluenced by food.

Medication for PTSD Nightmares

Helps reduce certain disturbing thoughts and emotions; may be prescribed in conjuction with other treatment techniques.

Antidepressants (as Prescription pain relievers)

Work best for chronic pain, including migraines, largest pain relief from tricyclics and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).

Ivabradine

Decreases normal SA node activity and lowers heart rate. It does not affect myocardial contractility

Bronchodilators Medication

Help open the airways in the lungs by relaxing smooth muscle around the airways.

Antivirals

Are medications that help your body fight off certain viruses that can cause disease. Antiviral drugs are also preventive. They can protect you from getting viral infections or spreading a virus to others.

Alpha-1 Blockers

Alpha-1 blockers are a class of medication that can be part of PTSD treatment. They’re primarily known for the ability to help reduce the disruptive sleep and nightmares that are often associated with PTSD.

Drug -Ethambutol

It is used to treat of tuberculosis (TB). This medicine is never used alone, but always with another medicine

Anticonvulsants:These

are used to treat epilepsy and other seizure disorders They work by reducing abnormal electrical activity in the brain that causes seizures.

Enteral Route of Medication

Is convenient and is indicated for patients who can ingest and tolerate an oral form of medication

AIDS Medication

The goal is management is to reduce HIV in your body, keep your immune system as healthy as possible and decrease the complications you may develop