Basics of Pharmacology

What are the three medical uses of drugs?

therapeutic, preventative, diagnostic

What are pharmacotherapeutics?

specific drug to treat or diagnose disease

Define Pharmocokinetics

study of how the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates drugs

Define Pharmacodynamics

study of how drug exerts its effect on the body

Define Toxicology

study of harmful effects of chemicals

When was the first federal drug law created and what was it?

1906, required accurate labeling of drugs

What was the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938?

government could stop products suspected of being toxic

What was the Harrison Narcotics Act of 1914?

regulated drugs with potential for abuse or dependence

What are Schedule I drugs?

drugs with high potential for abuse and have no accepted medical use

Examples of Schedule I drugs

heroin, LSD, marijuana

What are Schedule II drugs?

drugs with high potential for abuse but have accepted medical uses

Examples of Schedule II drugs

demerol, oxycodone, cocaine, methadone, hydromorphone

What are Schedule III drugs?

drugs with less potential for abuse than schedule II drugs and have current medical uses

Examples of Schedule III drugs

Tylenol w/ codeine, anabolic steroids

What are Schedule IV drugs?

drugs with less potential for abuse than schedule III, current medical use

Examples of Schedule IV drugs?

valium, ambien, ativan, tramadol

What are Schedule V drugs?

limited potential for abuse and have current medical use

Example of Schedule V drug?

cough syrup

What is the most convienent route of drug administration?

oral

What is the disadvantage of oral drug administration?

inactivated by stomach acid, metabolized by liver too quickly, interactions with certain foods/drinks

What is a sublingual drug administration?

drug placed under the tongue to dissolve

What is the benefit of sublingual drug administration?

faster therapeutic effect, absorbed quickly

What is a nasogastric drug administration?

liquid drugs via tube through the nose for those who can’t take oral meds

What is a rectal drug administration?

drugs via rectum due to patient vomiting or unable to inject, absorption is slow and unpredictable

What is topical drug administration?

drug is applied directly to skin or mucous membrane

What is inhalation drug administration?>

drug is inhaled via gas, liquid, or powder

What is parenteral drug administration?

drug is injected outside of the intestine into subcutaneous tissue, veins or muscle

What is absorption?

movement of the drug from site of administration to the bloodstream

What is distribution?

drug is carried by plasma proteins and remain inactive until it binds with a receptor on cell membrane

What does it mean when a drug is metabolized?

transformed from active form to less active/inactive form via enzymes

Why is it beneficial for some drugs to metabolize?

the metabolite is what exerts the drugs effect

What is excretion

removal of inactive drug metabolites via urine

How do drugs work?

they bind to a receptor that will either agonize or antagonize/block activity

What are GI side effects?

nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

What are CNS side effects?

drowsiness, excitement, depression

What are chemotherapy side effects?

nausea, vomiting, chills, fever, hair loss

What is the difference between regular side effects and adverse effects

adverse effects are severe side effects that are not commonly seen

What is polypharmacy and what are its consequences?

taking more drugs than medically necessary; increased healthcare costs, adverse events, interactions, cognitive impairment, falls

What are the two types of drug-drug interactions?

synergism (+ produces greater effect) and antagonism (- inhibits one another)

Which form of parenteral administration has the fastest absorption?

Intravenous

What does it mean when a drug has a narrow therapeutic index?

window between where a drug is therapeutic or toxic, needs constant monitoring via bloodwork

What is a drug-disease interaction?

when a drugs effects exacerbate an existing condition (i.e taking a drug that irritates the stomach that worsens a current stomach ulcer)