Pharmacology Basics and Principles

Vocabulary flashcards covering core pharmacology concepts, drug legislation, medical suffixes, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, lab values, and FDA pregnancy risk categories.

Pharmacology

The study of the biologic effects of chemicals.

Drugs

Chemicals that are introduced into the body to cause some sort of change.

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs)

Undesired, unintended, and harmful responses to a medication when used at normal doses.

Randomized controlled trial (RCT)

A study design that randomly assigns participants into either an experimental group to receive a new intervention or a control group to receive a standard treatment or placebo.

Chemical name

The drug name describing its chemical structure, primarily used in lab settings (e.g., N-acetyl-para-aminophenol).

Generic name

The nonproprietary name assigned to a drug by the US Adopted Names Council, where the last syllable usually indicates the medication class.

Brand name

The proprietary name given by a drug manufacturer that must be approved by the FDA (e.g., Tylenol).

Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA)

A 1992 landmark drug legislation that granted permission for accelerated drug approval.

Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act (FDAMA)

A 1997 landmark drug legislation act aimed at modernizing drug regulation and review.

Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA)

A 2002 landmark drug legislation act designed to encourage pediatric drug research.

Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA)

A 2003 landmark drug legislation act authorizing the FDA to require pediatric testing for certain drugs.

FDA Amendments Act (FDAAA)

A 2007 landmark drug legislation act expanding postmarket drug safety responsibilities.

Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act

A 2009 landmark drug legislation act granting the FDA authority to regulate tobacco products.

Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016

A 2016 landmark drug legislation act addressing addiction prevention, treatment, and recovery.

Suffix -amil

Medical suffix indicating calcium channel blockers.

Suffix -caine

Medical suffix indicating local anesthetics.

Suffix -dine

Medical suffix indicating anti-ulcer agents ($H_2$ histamine blockers).

Suffix -done

Medical suffix indicating opioid analgesics.

Suffix -ide

Medical suffix indicating oral hypoglycemics.

Suffix -lam

Medical suffix indicating anti-anxiety agents.

Suffix -oxacin

Medical suffix indicating broad spectrum antibiotics.

Suffix -micin

Medical suffix indicating antibiotics.

Suffix -mide

Medical suffix indicating diuretics.

Suffix -mycin

Medical suffix indicating antibiotics.

Suffix -nuim

Medical suffix indicating neuromuscular blockers.

Suffix -olol

Medical suffix indicating beta blockers.

Suffix -pam

Medical suffix indicating anti-anxiety agents.

Suffix -pine

Medical suffix indicating calcium channel blockers.

Suffix -pril

Medical suffix indicating ACE inhibitors.

Suffix -sone

Medical suffix indicating steroids.

Suffix -statin

Medical suffix indicating antihyperlipidemics.

Suffix -vir

Medical suffix indicating anti-virals.

Suffix -zide

Medical suffix indicating diuretics.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of how medications travel through the body, involving absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Distribution

The movement of a drug from the blood to the interstitial space of tissues and from there into cells, carrying the drug to its site of action.

Blood-brain barrier

A physiological barrier that is difficult for drugs to cross during distribution.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The transformation of a drug into an inactive form, an active metabolite, or a water-soluble form, primarily occurring in the liver.

Aspartate Aminotransferase (AST)

A liver function laboratory indicator with normal reference values of $15\text{--}42\text{ IU/l}$.

Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT)

A liver function laboratory indicator with normal reference values of $15\text{--}45\text{ IU/l}$.

Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN)

A renal function laboratory value with a normal reference range of $8\text{--}20\text{ mg/dl}$; elevated levels indicate diminished renal function.

Serum Creatinine (Cr)

A renal function laboratory value with a normal reference range of $0.6\text{--}1.2\text{ mg/dl}$; elevated levels indicate diminished renal function.

Glomerular Filtration Rate (GFR)

A renal function measurement with a normal target value of $>60$.

Therapeutic index

The ratio of the blood concentration at which a drug becomes toxic to the concentration at which the drug is effective.

Therapeutic range

The range of drug concentration in the blood where the drug provides therapeutic benefit without causing toxicity; narrow ranges require higher monitoring.

Drug half-life

The amount of time needed for the amount of drug in the body to decrease by $50\%$.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs and the molecular mechanisms by which those effects are produced (what drugs do to the body).

Drug receptor

Any functional macromolecule in a cell to which a drug binds to produce its effects.

Agonist

A drug that mimics the body's own regulatory molecules (e.g., neurotransmitters, endogenous regulators).

Antagonist

A drug that blocks the actions of endogenous regulators and lacks intrinsic activity.

Partial agonist

A drug that mimics the actions of endogenous regulatory molecules but produces responses of intermediate intensity.

Pharmacogenomics

The study of tailoring drug therapy based on genetic factors to improve efficacy and reduce risk.

Pregnancy Category A

FDA risk category where adequate studies in pregnant people have not demonstrated a risk to the fetus in the first trimester, and there is no evidence of risk in later trimesters.

Pregnancy Category B

FDA risk category where animal studies have not demonstrated fetal risk but human studies are lacking, or animal studies showed adverse effects that human studies failed to demonstrate in the first trimester.

Pregnancy Category C

FDA risk category where animal studies show adverse fetal effects but human studies are lacking, though potential benefits may warrant use, or where no animal or human studies exist.

Pregnancy Category D

FDA risk category where there is evidence of human fetal risk, but potential benefits from use in pregnant people may be acceptable despite risks.

Pregnancy Category X

FDA risk category where studies in animals or humans demonstrate fetal abnormalities or risk that clearly outweigh any possible benefit.