Emergency Care Chapter 18: General Pharmacology

Vocabulary flashcards for Chapter 18 General Pharmacology covering EMS medication administration, route types, medical direction, and herbal supplements.

Aspirin

A medication carried on the ambulance administered to patients with chest pain of a suspected cardiac origin.

Oral Glucose

A medication carried on the ambulance that may help a patient with diabetes.

Oxygen

A commonly used, but powerful, medication carried on the ambulance used in emergency care.

Activated Charcoal

A powder or suspension carried on the ambulance that is occasionally used as a poison adsorbent in poisoning cases.

Naloxone

An antidote administered to a patient who is unconscious and in respiratory failure after taking a narcotic.

Bronchodilator Inhaler

A prescribed device used in patients with asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis that enlarges constricted breathing tubes.

Nitroglycerin

A prescribed medication taken by patients with a history of chest pain of cardiac origin to help dilate coronary vessels.

Epinephrine Auto-Injector

A device prescribed and used for patients with severe allergic reactions classified as anaphylaxis, acting as a vasoconstrictor and airway muscle relaxant.

Force Protection Medications

Medications such as an atropine auto-injector used to treat emergency responders in the event of an attack.

Chemical Name

The technical description of a drug's chemical structure.

Generic Name

The official name under which each drug is listed, independent of specific brand manufacturers.

Trade (Brand) Name

One or more names given to a drug by manufacturer(s).

Indications

Specific signs or circumstances under which it is appropriate to administer a medication.

Contraindications

Specific signs or circumstances under which it is not appropriate or harmful to administer a medication.

Side Effects

Any action of a medication other than the desired outcome.

Untoward Effects

An unexpected effect of a medication that is harmful to the patient.

Off-Line Medical Direction

Medication authorization given through standing orders or written protocols without speaking directly to a physician.

On-Line Medical Direction

Medication authorization given directly to an EMT by speaking directly to a physician.

Five Rights

The essential safety check before medication administration: right patient, right time, right medication, right dose, and right route.

Oral Route

Administration of a medication by swallowing.

Sublingual Route

Administration of a medication by dissolving it under the tongue.

Inhaled Route

Administration of a medication by breathing it into the lungs as tiny aerosol particles or gas.

Intranasal Route

Administration of a medication by spraying it into the nostrils.

Intravenous Route

Administration of a medication by injecting it directly into a vein.

Intramuscular Route

Administration of a medication by injecting it into a muscle.

Subcutaneous Route

Administration of a medication by injecting it under the skin.

Intraosseous Route

Administration of a medication by injecting it directly into the bone marrow cavity.

Endotracheal Route

Administration of a medication by spraying it directly into a tube inserted into the trachea.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the effects of medications on the body.

Advair

A prescribed medication used for daily management of a respiratory disease that should not be used for emergency treatment of an acute attack.

Heparin (Saline) Lock

A catheter placed into a vein with a capped port for administering medications without continuous fluid flow.

SAMPLE History

A mnemonic used when taking patient history: Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Pertinent past history, Last oral intake, and Events leading to the injury or illness.

Gingko (Gingko Biloba)

An herbal agent sometimes used for dementia, poor circulation to the legs, and ringing in the ears.

St. John's Wort

An herbal agent sometimes used for depression.

Echinacea

An herbal agent sometimes used for prevention and treatment of the common cold.

Garlic

An herbal agent sometimes used for high cholesterol.

Ginger Root

An herbal agent sometimes used for nausea and vomiting.

Saw Palmetto

An herbal agent sometimes used for a swollen prostate.

Hawthorn Leaf or Flower

An herbal agent sometimes used for heart failure.

Evening Primrose Oil

An herbal agent sometimes used for premenstrual syndrome.

Feverfew Leaf

An herbal agent sometimes used for migraine prevention.

Kava Kava

An herbal agent sometimes used for anxiety.

Valerian Root

An herbal agent sometimes used for insomnia.