Chapter 18 - General Pharmacology

pharmacology

What is the study of drugs, their sources, their characteristics, and their effects?

chemical name

generic name

trade name

What three names does each drug typically have?

chemical name

What type of name is "acetylsalicylic acid"?

generic name

What type of name is "aspirin"?

trade name

What type of name is "Bayer"?

pharmacokinetics

What refers to what the body does to the drug?

liver

What are most drugs metabolized by?

through the kidneys

How are most drugs eliminated?

pharmacodynamics

What refers to what the the drug does to the body?

mechanism of action

What tells you what the drug will do for the patients?

right patient, right time, right medication, right dose, right route

What are the five rights for medication safety?

orally (PO)

What route of administration involves the medicine being taken by mouth and swallowed?

sublingual (SL)

What route of administration involves the medicine being absorbed underneath the tongue?

inhaled

What route of administration involves the medicine being breathed into the lungs?

intranasal (IN)

What route of administration involves the medicine being sprayed into the nose?

atomizer

What is a deviced attached to the end of a syringe that atomizes medication (turns it into very fine droplets)? Used with intranasal medication.

intramuscular (IM)

What route of administration involves the medicine being administered into the muscle?

buccal

What route of administration involves the medicine being placed inside the mouth, in the cheek area?

intravenous (IV)

What is a route of administration that involves injecting medication directly into the bloodstream through a vein? Note: beyond the scope of EMT-B

subcutaneous

What route of administration delivers medication into the layers of skin rather than into the muscle?

intraosseous (IO)

What route of administration involves medication injected directly into the bone marrow cavity?

endotracheal

What is a route of administration where medicine is sprayed directly into a tube inserted into the trachea?

indications

What are specific signs or circumstances under which it is appropriate to administer a drug to a patient?

contraindications

What are specific signs or circumstances under which it is not appropriate and may be harmful to administer a drug to a patient?

side effect

What is any action of a drug other than the desired action?

untoward effect

What is an effect of a medication in addition to its desired effect that may be potentially harmful to the patient?

parenteral

What is referring to a route of medication administration that does not use the GI tract, such as an IV medication?

enteral

What is referring to a route of medication administration that uses the GI tract, such as swallowing a pill?

after a thorough patient assessment

When should medication administration be undertaken?

reassess the patient and look for any changes (for better or worse)

What must you do after administering medication?

aspirin

What is a medication used to reduce the clotting ability of blood to prevent and treat clots associated with myocardial infarction?

324mg (4 81mg tablets)

Aspirin - Dose

chest pain

Aspirin - Indications

alcohol use
bleeding ulcers
bleeding disorders
hematemesis

Aspirin - Contraindications

anti-platelet agent

Aspirin - Mechanism

PO (chewed)

Aspirin - Route

nitroglycerin

What is a drug that helps to dilate the coronary vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood?

0.4mg (up to 3x, 3-5 minutes apart)

Nitroglycerin - Dose

chest pain w/ prescription

Nitroglycerin - Indications

SBP less than 90

SBP drop of 20(+) after last dose
ED medicine in last 24-72 hours

Nitroglycerin - Contraindications

vasodilator

Nitroglycerin - Mechanism

sublingual

Nitroglycerin - Route

headache

What is a common side effect of Nitroglycerin?

naloxone (or Narcan)

What is an antidote for respiratory depression caused by narcotic overdose?

0.5-2mg (split between nostrils)

Naloxone - Dose

suspected opioid overdose w/ respiratory depression

Naloxone - Indications

PT maintains adequate respiratory effort w/ SpO2 >93% on room air

Naloxone - Contraindications

Opioid Antagonist

Naloxone - Mechanism

intranasal

Naloxone - Route

bronchodilator

What is a medication designed to enlarge constricted bronchial tubes, making breathing easier?

increased heart rate

patient jitteriness

What are common side effects when using a bronchodilator?

Epinephrine 1:1000

What is a drug that helps to constrict the blood vessels and relax passages of the airway; used to counter anaphylaxis?

0.15mg (less than 66lbs)

0.3mg (more than 66lbs)

Epinephrine 1:1000 - Dose

anaphylaxis

Epinephrine 1:1000 - Indications

none

Epinephrine 1:1000 - Contraindications

vasoconstrictor
beta-2 bronchodilator

Epinephrine 1:1000 - Mechanism

intramuscular

Epinephrine 1:1000 - Route

increased heart rate and blood pressure

What are common side effects from using epinephrine?

1mg/kg (ped)
25-50mg (adult)

Diphenhydramine - Dose

allergic reaction
anaphylaxis

Diphenhydramine - Indications

lethargy
nausea and/or vomiting w/ hypertension

Diphenhydramine - Contraindications

antihistamine (H1 blocker)

Diphenhydramine - Mechanism

PO

Diphenhydramine - Route

2.2

How many kilograms are in 1lb?

1.25-2.5mg (peds)
2.5-5mg (adult)

Albuterol - dose

anaphylaxis
asthma
COPD (all w/ prescription)

Albuterol - indications

none

Albuterol - contraindications

beta-2 agonist

Albuterol - mechanism

nebulizer

Albuterol - route

10mg/kg (peds)
400-800mg (adult)

Ibuprofen - dose

fever
pain control

Ibuprofen - indications

kidney disease
pregnancy
suspected GI bleed
<6 months old

Ibuprofen - contraindications

non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug

Ibuprofen - mechanism

PO

Ibuprofen - route

15mg/kg (peds)
325-1000mg (adults)

acetaminophen - dose

fever
pain control

acetaminophen - indications

liver disease

acetaminophen - contraindications

analgesic

acetaminophen - mechanism

PO

acetaminophen - route

oral glucose

What is a form of glucose given by mouth to reat an awake patient with an altered mental status and a history of diabetes?

15g

oral glucose - dose

hypoglycemia

oral glucose - indications

unconscious
inability to maintain own airway

oral glucose - contraindications

glucose agent

oral glucose - mechanism

buccal

oral glucose - route

1-2 sprays per affected nostril

afrin - dose

epistaxis

afrin - indications

SBP >220
DBP >110

afrin - contraindications

vasoconstrictor at arterioles

afrin - mechanism

intranasal

afrin - route

1mg

glucagon - dose

hypoglycemia w/ inability to take PO intake

glucagon - indication

none

glucagon - contraindications

glycogenolysis

glucagon - mechanism

intramuscular

glucagon - route

oxygen

What is a gas commonly found in the atmosphere; the pure form of it is used as a medication to treat any patient whose medical or traumatic condition may cause the patient to be hypoxic?

analgesics

What are drugs prescribed for pain relief?

antidysrhythmics

What are drugs prescribed for heart rhythm disorders?

anticonvulsants

What are drugs prescribed for prevention and control of seizures?

antihypertensives

What are drugs prescribed to reduce high blood pressure?