Antibiotics / Antibacterials Pharmacology - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering peaks/troughs, pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, drug classifications, and common antibiotic concepts from the notes.

Peaks and troughs

Drug level monitoring for medications with a narrow therapeutic index (e.g., aminoglycosides and vancomycin); trough is drawn before dosing, peak is drawn about 30 minutes after dose completion.

Narrow therapeutic index

A small range between therapeutic and toxic drug levels; requires careful monitoring of drug concentrations.

Aminoglycosides

A class of antibiotics requiring monitoring of drug levels; commonly associated with nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity.

Vancomycin

Potentially toxic drug used only for serious infections (ex. MRSA)

Therapy assessment

Evaluating effectiveness via WBCs, cultures, fever reduction, symptom improvement, and monitoring for adverse reactions or recurrence.

ADME

Abbreviation for Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion; the pharmacokinetic processes.

Pharmacodynamics

Study of how drugs exert effects on the body, including drug-receptor interactions and dose-response.

Antagonists

Drugs or substances that oppose or block the effect of another drug or body system.

Agonists

Drugs that activate receptors to produce a biological response; can enhance the effect of another drug.

Loading dose

A high initial dose given to rapidly achieve therapeutic drug levels.

Contraindication

A reason to avoid or hold a medication to prevent harm.

Adverse reaction

Harmful or unintended reaction to a medication.

Therapeutic effect

The desired health outcome produced by a medication.

Therapeutic index/level

The range of drug concentration in which the drug is effective without being toxic; often guided by serum levels.

Bactericidal

Drugs that kill bacteria (e.g., aminoglycosides, penicillins, cephalosporins, fluoroquinolones, vancomycin).

Bacteriostatic

Drugs that inhibit bacterial growth (e.g., tetracyclines, macrolides, sulfonamides).

Prophylactic therapy

Antibiotics given to prevent infection rather than to treat an existing infection.

Normal flora disruption

Antibiotics can destroy normal flora, leading to overgrowth by opportunistic pathogens; yogurt can help mitigate this effect.

Yogurt/probiotics

Nonpharmacologic measure to help maintain normal gut flora during/after antibiotic use.

Tetracyclines

Class of antibiotics; suffix -cycline; bacteriostatic; examples include doxycycline and tetracycline.

Sulfonamides

Sulfa antibiotics; prefix sulfa-; generally bacteriostatic.

Cephalosporins

Antibiotics with prefixes -cef- / cef-; part of the beta-lactam class.

Penicillins

Antibiotics with suffix -cillin; another beta-lactam class.

Aminoglycosides & Macrolides suffixes

Suffixes -MICIN and -MYCIN indicate these antibiotic groups (e.g., gentamicin, erythromycin).

Fluoroquinolones

Antibiotics with suffix -FLOXACIN; examples include ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin.

Normal flora

Microorganisms normally living in the body; antibiotics can reduce these populations, potentially causing complications.