Pharmacology Final Study Guide page 1-2

Vocabulary flashcards covering key pharmacology terms from Page 1-2 notes.

Indications

Reasons for giving a drug to a patient.

Contraindications

Reasons for not giving a drug to a patient.

Legend drugs (prescription drugs)

FDA-regulated drugs that require a prescription and a caution legend limiting use to licensed veterinarians.

Veterinarian-client relationship

A professional relationship where the veterinarian is responsible for medical judgments and the client agrees to follow instructions; the vet has seen the animal recently and is available for follow-up.

Regimen

Plan for administering drugs; information placed on the medication label including kind of drug, route, dosage, frequency, and duration.

Route of administration

The method by which the drug is given.

Dosage

The amount of drug to be given.

Frequency

How often the drug should be given.

Duration

How long the drug should be given.

t.i.d.

Three times a day (ter in die).

q.i.d.

Four times a day (quater in die).

b.i.d.

Twice a day (bis in die).

Pharmacokinetics

The study of how a drug moves through the body (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion); influenced by the route of administration.

Oral (PO)

Drug given by mouth; absorption may be limited by vomiting/diarrhea and many drugs have a bad taste.

Intravenous (IV)

Drug delivered into a vein; effects are almost immediate and often of short duration; the body eliminates the drug quickly.

Intramuscular (IM)

Drug injected into muscle; absorption slower than IV but faster than SQ and can be painful.

Subcutaneous (SQ/SC)

Drug injected into tissue beneath the skin; absorption is slower than IM.

Intradermal (ID)

Injection into the skin; used for allergy testing.

Intraperitoneal (IP)

Injection into the abdominal cavity.

Intraarterial (IA)

Injection into an artery.

Intraarticular

Injection into a joint.

Intracardiac

Injection into the heart; often used for euthanasia and CPR.

Intramedullary

Injection into the bone marrow cavity.

Epidural / Subdural

Injection into the spine (epidural) or near the spine (subdural).

Nebulizer

Device to inhale a drug in a fine mist; used for antibiotics or bronchodilators; inhalation therapy.

Metered-dose inhaler

Hand-held device that delivers medication via inhalation.

Anesthetic gases

Gaseous forms of anesthesia delivered with vaporizers.

Transdermal (topical)

Drug applied to the skin for slow, ongoing absorption; gloves recommended when handling due to cross-species skin absorption.

Concentration gradient

Movement of a drug from areas of high concentration to lower concentration across compartments.

Bioavailability

The amount of drug that reaches systemic circulation and is available to act on the body.

Water-soluble drugs

Dissolve in water; tend to stay in the bloodstream and may bind to proteins (e.g., albumin) or remain free.

Lipid-soluble drugs

Dissolve in fats; tend to move from the bloodstream into interstitial fluid and can be stored in fat, liver, kidneys, and bone.

Storage sites for fat-soluble drugs

Fat, liver, kidneys, and bone can store fat-soluble drugs.

Blood-brain barrier

Barrier that limits passage of substances from blood into brain tissue and may affect brain drug concentrations.

Drug interactions

Interactions with other drugs that can alter absorption, distribution, metabolism, or excretion.

Absorption

Process by which a drug enters the bloodstream from the site of administration.

Excretion

Removal of drugs from the body; primarily via liver (bile) and kidneys (urine); also via mammary glands, lungs, GI tract, sweat glands, saliva, or skin.