Pharmacological Principles Quiz 1

A set of vocabulary flashcards defining core concepts, terms, drug classes, PK/PD parameters, and clinical trial phases from the lecture notes.

Pharmacology

The science of how chemical substances interact with – and change - living systems.

Pharmacotherapy

The clinical use of drugs to prevent, diagnose, or treat disease.

Toxicology

The field that uses the same principles as pharmacology to understand the harmful effects of chemicals.

Difference between a useful drug and poison

Dose

Pharmacology is a ________ not a list of names

Framework for reasoning

Drug

A substance that changes biologic function through chemical action.

What does a drug interact with

Target molecules

What factors depend on physical form of a drug

Dissolution, stability, absorption, performance

Receptor

A general term used broadly for drug targets, including classic binding proteins, enzymes, ion channels, transporters, and other regulatory macromolecules.

Agonist

A drug or substance that activates or mimics a biologic signal.

Antagonist

A drug or substance that blocks or reduces a biologic signal.

Xenobiotic

A chemical not synthesized in the patient's body.

Poison

A substance whose effects are almost exclusively harmful.

Toxin

A biologic poison, usually produced by plants or animals.

How can the same substance be therapeutic, ineffective, or toxic

Dose, exposure, target, patient, and biologic setting

What does a drug have to be able to do to be useful

Reach site of action, bind to target molecule, produce and effect, and be cleared

What properties determine if a drug can do its job

Size, shape, charge, solubility, ionization, and chirality

Pharmacokinetics (PK)

Describes drug actions of the body on the drug.

ADME

Absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination

Pharmacodynamics (PD)

Describes drug actions of the drug on the body.

ADME

An abbreviation for absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination.

Prototype Drugs

Representative drugs in therapeutic classes that help organize shared pharmacodynamic actions and pharmacokinetic patterns.

Phase 1 Clinical Testing

Clinical trial phase assessing tolerability, dose range, and early PK.

Phase 2 Clinical Testing

Clinical trial phase assessing preliminary efficacy and dose refinement in patients.

Phase 3 Clinical Testing

Clinical trial phase confirming safety and efficacy in larger populations.

Phase 4 Clinical Testing

Postmarketing clinical testing assessing safety and real-world monitoring.

Pharmacogenomics

The study of how genetic differences can influence drug response.