Pharmo - Ch 1

Therapeutics

prevention of disease and treatment of suffering

Pharmacotherapy

application of drugs for the purpose of treating disease and alleviating human suffering

Diuretic

Lowers plasma volume

Calcium Channel Blocker

Blocks heart calcium channels

Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitor

Blocks hormonal activity

Adrenergic antagonist

blocks physiologic reactions to stress

Vasodilator

dialtes peripheral blood vessels

Prototype drug

well-understood drug model with which other drugs in its representative class are compared

Bioavailability

physiological ability of the drug to reach its target cells and produce its effect

Combination Drug

contains more than one active generic ingredient

Biosimilar drug

biological product that is highly similar to and has no meaningful clinical differences from an existing reference product already approved by the FDA

Reference Product

original biologic drug that underwent rigorous testing and was approved by the FDA based upon a thorough evaluation of its safety and effectiveness

Drug

Chemical component outside the body

Medication

After it was taken by the patient in the body

therapeutic classification

based on their usefulness in treating specific diseases or disorders - treating symptoms

pharmacologic classification

refers to the way a drug works at the molecular, cellular, tissue, or body system’s level

Biologics

• From animals or microorganisms 

  • Hormones, antibodies, natural blood products, interferons, vaccines

What is the main difference between therapeutic and pharmacologic classifications?

Therapeutic classification describes what a drug is used to treat; pharmacologic classification describes how the drug works

Which classification is pharmacologic?

Beta-adrenergic blocker

Which classification is therapeutic?

Laxative

What is a prototype drug?

A drug that represents a drug class and is used as a model for learning about similar drugs

Why might a patient choose an OTC medication instead of a prescription medication?

OTC medications are convenient and can be obtained without a prescription

What is one major advantage of substituting a generic-equivalent drug for a brand name drug?

The generic drug may lower the patient’s medication cost

What is a biosimilar drug?

A biological product that is highly similar to an already approved biologic product

What is the main difference between a generic drug and a biosimilar?

Generic drugs are generally equivalent versions of conventional small-molecule drugs, while biosimilars are highly similar to biologic drugs

A patient tells the nurse: “I want to use an OTC medication because I don’t want to make a doctor’s appointment.” What should the nurse understand?

The patient may choose an OTC medication because it is convenient and easily accessible, but the nurse should still consider safety, effectiveness, adverse effects, and interactions.