Integrated Health Sciences and Medication Study Notes

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, medicinal chemistry, electrolyte balance, and drug administration principles from the study notes.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions within the body.

Catabolism

The metabolic process that breaks down complex substances and releases energy.

Anabolism

The metabolic process that builds complex substances.

Coronal plane

An anatomical plane that separates the body into anterior and posterior portions.

Sagittal plane

An anatomical plane that separates the body into right and left portions.

Transverse plane

An anatomical plane that separates the body into upper and lower portions.

Median plane

An anatomical plane that divides the body into equal right and left halves.

Proximal

An anatomical directional term meaning nearer to the trunk or point of origin.

Distal

An anatomical directional term meaning farther from the trunk or point of origin.

Osteoblasts

Bone cells that form new bone.

Osteoclasts

Bone cells that resorb bone tissue.

Osteocytes

Mature bone cells.

Synarthroses

A functional classification of joints that are immovable.

Amphiarthroses

A functional classification of joints that are slightly movable.

Diarthroses

A functional classification of joints that are freely movable.

Afferent neurones

Neurones that carry sensory information toward the central nervous system.

Efferent neurones

Neurones that carry motor commands away from the central nervous system.

Systole

The phase of the cardiac cycle involving contraction of the heart muscle.

Diastole

The phase of the cardiac cycle involving relaxation of the heart muscle.

Retinol (Vitamin A)

A fat-soluble vitamin associated with vision, epithelial integrity, immune function, and bone development, whose deficiency leads to night blindness and dry eyes.

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C)

A water-soluble vitamin that provides antioxidant activity, collagen formation, iron absorption, and tissue repair; deficiency signs include petechiae, easy bruising, and bleeding gums.

Calciferol (Vitamin D)

A vitamin associated with calcium and phosphorus absorption, bone and tooth integrity, muscle, and immune function, whose deficiency leads to rickets and osteoporosis.

Phyllo Quinone (Vitamin K)

A vitamin involved in clotting-factor synthesis and bone health whose deficiency can cause bruising or bleeding.

Hyponatraemia

A subnormal serum sodium level that carries a risk of osmotic demyelination or central pontine myelinolysis if corrected overly rapidly.

Hypernatremia

An elevated serum sodium concentration associated with water deficit or sodium gain, carrying a risk of cerebral oedema.

Hypokalaemia

A decreased serum potassium concentration characterized by weakness, cramps, paraesthesias, arrhythmias, prolonged QT intervals, and U waves on ECG.

Hyperkalaemia

An elevated serum potassium concentration that presents a high risk of ECG changes and malignant arrhythmias.

Prodrugs

Inactive or less active chemical compounds converted within the body to active metabolites to improve absorption, specificity, or duration.

ADME

A pharmacokinetic acronym describing the processes of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Bioisosterism

The chemical modification strategy of replacing an atom or group with a similar one to alter activity, toxicity, bioavailability, or metabolism.

Pharmacophore

The spatial arrangement of structural features in a compound that is required for biological activity.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of drug effects on the body.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of how the body handles a drug across its disposition phases.

Therapeutic index

A ratio that quantitatively compares toxic dose measures to effective dose measures.

Medication therapy management

A patient-centred clinical service designed to optimize outcomes consisting of medication review, a personal medication record, an action plan, interventions or referrals, documentation, and follow-up.

Beta-lactams

A class of antibacterial drugs, such as penicillins and cephalosporins, that inhibit bacterial cell-wall synthesis.

Reverse-transcriptase inhibitors

Antiviral drugs—either nucleoside/nucleotide analogues or non-nucleoside agents—that inhibit reverse transcription and terminate viral DNA-chain elongation.

Status epilepticus

An emergency neurological condition characterized by persistent, continuous, or rapidly recurring epileptic seizures.

Virchow’s triad

A triad of primary risk factors for thrombosis: vessel-wall injury, altered flow, and altered coagulability.

ACE inhibitors

Cardiovascular drugs such as captopril, enalapril, and lisinopril that decrease angiotensin-II formation, commonly associated with hyperkalaemia and cough.

Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs)

Cardiovascular drugs such as losartan and valsartan that block angiotensin-II receptors directly, having a lower incidence of cough than ACE inhibitors.