Exam 1 UAB NUR328 Definitions/ Vocab

adverse effects

drug effects, sometimes called side effects, that are not the desired therapeutic effects; may be unpleasant or even dangerous

brand name

name given to a drug by the pharmaceutical company that developed it; also called a trade name or proprietary name

chemical name

name that reflects the chemical structure of a drug

drugs

chemicals that are introduced into the body to bring about change

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

federal agency responsible for the regulation and enforcement of drug evaluation and distribution policies

generic drugs

drugs sold by their generic name; not brand name or trade name product

generic name

the original designation that a drug is given when the drug company that developed it applies for the approval process

genetic engineering

process of altering DNA, usually of bacteria, to produce a chemical to be used as a drug

orphan drugs

drugs that have been discovered but would not be profitable for a drug company to develop; usually drugs that would treat only a small number of people; these orphans can be adopted by drug companies to develop

over-the-counter (OTC) drugs

drugs that are available without a prescription for self-treatment of a variety of complaints; deemed to be safe when used as directed; often formerly only available by prescription

pharmacology

the study of the biological effects of chemicals

pharmacotherapeutics

clinical pharmacology—the branch of pharmacology that deals with drugs; chemicals that are used in medicine for the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of disease in humans

phase I study

a pilot study of a potential drug using a small number of selected, usually healthy human volunteers

phase II study

a clinical study of a proposed drug by selected physicians using actual patients who have the disorder the drug is designed to treat; patients must provide informed consent

phase III study

use of a proposed drug on a wide scale in the clinical setting with patients who have the disease the drug is thought to treat

phase IV study

continuous evaluation of a drug after it has been released for marketing

preclinical trials

initial trial of a chemical thought to have therapeutic potential; uses laboratory animals, not human subjects

teratogenic

having adverse effects on the fetus

absorption

what happens to a drug from the time it enters the body until it enters the circulating fluid; intravenous administration causes the drug to directly enter the circulating blood, bypassing the many complications of absorption from other routes

active transport

the movement of substances across a cell membrane against the concentration gradient; this process requires the use of energy

chemotherapeutic agents

synthetic chemicals used to interfere with the functioning of foreign cell populations, causing cell death; this term is frequently used to refer to the drug therapy of neoplasms, but it also refers to drug therapy affecting any foreign cell

critical concentration

the concentration a drug must reach in the tissues that respond to the particular drug to cause the desired therapeutic effect

distribution

movement of a drug to body tissues; the places where a drug may be distributed depend on the drug's solubility, perfusion of the area, cardiac output, and binding of the drug to plasma proteins

enzyme induction

process by which the presence of a chemical that is biotransformed by a particular enzyme system in the liver causes increased activity of that enzyme system

excretion

removal of a drug from the body; primarily occurs in the kidneys, but can also occur through the skin, lungs, bile, or feces

first-pass effect

a phenomenon in which drugs given orally are carried directly to the liver

First-pass effect

Phenomenon in which drugs given orally are carried directly to the liver after absorption, where they may be largely inactivated by liver enzymes before they can enter the general circulation.

Glomerular filtration

The passage of water and water-soluble components from the plasma into the renal tubule.

Half-life

The time it takes for the amount of drug in the body to decrease to one half of the peak level it previously achieved.

Hepatic microsomal system

Liver enzymes tightly packed together in the hepatic intracellular structure, responsible for the biotransformation of chemicals, including drugs.

Loading dose

Use of a higher dose than what is usually used for treatment to allow the drug to reach the critical concentration sooner.

Passive diffusion

Movement of substances across a semipermeable membrane with the concentration gradient; this process does not require energy.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the interactions between the chemical components of living systems and the foreign chemicals, including drugs, that enter living organisms; the way a drug affects a body.

Pharmacogenomics

The study of genetically determined variations in the response to drugs.

Pharmacokinetics

The way the body deals with a drug, including absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and excretion.

Placebo effect

Documented effect of the mind on drug therapy; if a person perceives that a drug will be effective, the drug is much more likely to actually be effective.

Receptor sites

Specific areas on cell membranes that react with certain chemicals to cause an effect within the cell.

Selective toxicity

Property of a chemotherapeutic agent that affects only systems found in foreign cells without affecting healthy human cells.

Blood dyscrasia

Bone marrow depression caused by drug effects on the rapidly multiplying cells of the bone marrow; lower-than-normal levels of blood components can be seen.

Dermatological reactions

Skin reactions commonly seen as adverse effects of drugs; can range from simple rash to potentially fatal exfoliative dermatitis.

Drug allergy

Formation of antibodies to a drug or drug protein; causes an immune response when the person is next exposed to that drug.

Hypersensitivity

Excessive responsiveness to either the primary or the secondary effects of a drug; may be caused by a pathological condition or, in the absence of one, by a particular patient's individual response.

Poisoning

Overdose of a drug that causes damage to multiple body systems and has the potential for fatal reactions.

Stomatitis

Inflammation of the mucous membranes related to drug effects; can lead to alterations in nutrition and dental problems.

Superinfections

Infections caused by the destruction of normal flora bacteria by certain drugs, which allow other bacteria to grow out of control and cause infection.

Alternative therapy

Includes herbs and other 'natural' products as often found in ancient records; these products are not controlled or tested by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are considered to be dietary supplements.

Biological weapons

So-called germ warfare; the use of bacteria, viruses, and parasites on a large scale to incapacitate or destroy a population.

Cost comparison

A comparison of the relative cost of the same drug provided by different manufacturers to determine the costs.

off-label uses

uses of a drug that are not part of the stated therapeutic indications for which the drug was approved by the FDA; off-label uses may lead to new indications for a drug

self-care

patients self-diagnosing and determining their own treatment needs

street drugs

nonprescription drugs with no known therapeutic use; used to enhance mood or increase pleasure

actin

thin filament, a component of a sarcomere, or muscle unit

aldosterone

a hormone released from the adrenal cortex that acts in the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney to increase retention of sodium and water

angiotensin

a peptide hormone that causes vasoconstriction and stimulates aldosterone and ADH release; part of the renin-angiotensin system

antidiuretic hormone (ADH)

released from the posterior pituitary and acts in the distal convoluted tubule of the kidney to increase water retention

arrhythmia

a disruption in cardiac rate or rhythm, also called dysrhythmia

arteries

vessels that take blood away from the heart; muscular, resistance vessels

atrium

top chamber of the heart, receives blood from veins

auricle

appendage on the atria of the heart, holds blood to be pumped out with atrial contraction

automaticity

property of heart cells to generate an action potential without an external stimulus

capacitance system

the venous system; distensible, flexible veins that are capable of holding large amounts of blood

capillary

small vessel made up of loosely connected endothelial cells that connect arteries to veins

cardiac cycle

a period of cardiac muscle relaxation (diastole) followed by a period of contraction (systole) in the heart

conductivity

property of heart cells to rapidly conduct an action potential of electrical impulse

diastole

resting phase of the heart; blood is returned to the heart during this phase

dysrhythmia

a disruption in cardiac rate or rhythm, also called an arrhythmia

ectopic focus

a shift in the pacemaker of the heart from the sinoatrial node to some other site

electrocardiogram

an electrical tracing reflecting the conduction of an electrical impulse through the heart muscle; does not reflect mechanical activity

myocardium

the muscle of the heart

myosin

thick filament with projections, a component of a sarcomere, or muscle unit

natriuretic peptide

a peptide produced by the brain, heart, and vasculature, which causes natriuresis, excretion of sodium in the urine; degraded by the enzyme neprilysin

oncotic pressure

the pulling pressure of the plasma proteins, responsible for returning fluid to the vascular system at the capillary level

pulse pressure

the systolic blood pressure minus the diastolic blood pressure; reflects the filling pressure of the coronary arteries

resistance system

the arteries; the muscles of the arteries provide resistance to the flow of blood, leading to control of blood pressure

sarcomere

functional unit of a muscle cell, composed of actin and myosin molecules arranged in layers to give the unit a striped or striated appearance

sinoatrial (SA) node

the normal pacemaker of the heart; composed of primitive cells that constantly generate an action potential

Starling's law of the heart

addresses the contractile properties of the heart: the more the muscle is stretched, the stronger it will react until it is stretched to a point at which it will not react at all

systole

contracting phase of the heart, during which blood is pumped out of the heart

troponin

chemical in heart muscle that prevents the reaction between actin and myosin, leading to muscle relaxation; it is inactivated by calcium during muscle stimulation to allow actin and myosin to react, causing muscle contraction

myosin

a protein that interacts with actin to cause muscle contraction

veins

vessels that return blood to the heart; distensible tubes

ventricle

bottom chamber of the heart, which contracts to pump blood out of the heart

angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor

drug that blocks ACE, the enzyme responsible for converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II in the lungs; this blocking prevents the vasoconstriction and aldosterone release related to angiotensin II

angiotensin II receptors

specific receptors found in blood vessels and in the adrenal gland that react with angiotensin II to cause vasoconstriction and release of aldosterone

baroreceptor

pressure receptor; located in the arch of the aorta and in the carotid artery; responds to changes in pressure and influences the medulla to stimulate the sympathetic system to increase or decrease blood pressure

cardiovascular center

area of the medulla at which stimulation will activate the sympathetic nervous system to increase blood pressure and heart rate

essential hypertension

sustained blood pressure above normal limits with no discernible underlying cause

hypotension

sustained blood pressure that is lower than that required to adequately perfuse all of the body's tissues

peripheral resistance

force that resists the flow of blood through the vessels, mostly determined by the arterioles, which contract to increase resistance; important in determining overall blood pressure

renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system

compensatory process that leads to increased blood pressure and blood volume to ensure perfusion of the kidneys; important in the continual regulation of blood pressure

shock

severe hypotension that can lead to accumulation of waste products and cell death

stroke volume

the amount of blood pumped out of the ventricle with each beat; important in determining blood pressure

antihyperlipidemic agents

general term used for drugs used to lower lipid levels in the blood

bile acids

cholesterol-containing acids found in the bile that act like detergents to break up fats in the small intestine

cholesterol

necessary component of human cells that is produced and processed in the liver and then stored in the bile until stimulus causes the gallbladder to contract and send the bile into the duodenum via the common bile duct; a fat that is essential for the formation of steroid hormones and cell membranes; it is produced in cells and taken in by dietary sources

chylomicron

carrier for lipids in the bloodstream, consisting of proteins, lipids, cholesterol, and so forth

high-density lipoprotein (HDL)

loosely packed chylomicron-containing fats, able to absorb fats and fat remnants in the periphery; thought to have a protective effect, decreasing the development of coronary artery disease

hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase

enzyme that regulates the last step in cellular cholesterol synthesis

hyperlipidemia

increased levels of lipids in the serum, associated with increased risk of coronary artery disease development

low-density lipoprotein (LDL)

tightly packed fats that are thought to contribute to the development of coronary artery disease when remnants left over from the LDL are processed in the arterial lining