NRSE 141 Pharmacology for Nursing - Module 1

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering pharmacology definitions, drug naming, botanical sources, clinical trial phases, pharmacokinetics, and measurement systems based on Module 1 lecture notes.

Pharmacology

The study of the biological effects of chemicals, addressing both the drug’s effects on the body and the body’s response to the drug.

Chemical Name

A drug name that reflects the chemical structure; for example, 3\text{-(}\text{\alpha-acetonylbenzyl)-4-hydroxycoumarin}.

Generic Name

The original designation given to a drug when the drug company developed it and applied for approval, such as Warfarin.

Trademark/Brand Name

The name given to a drug by the pharmaceutical company that developed it, such as Coumadin.

Digitalis Purpurea

A cardiac glycoside that blocks $Na$ and $K$ pumps, acting as a positive inotrope and a negative chronotrope by slowing down the heart rate.

Nicotiana Glauca (Tobacco Tree)

A plant source used as a skeletal muscle relaxant with no FDA use; traditionally used in ceremonies or as an insecticide.

Aesculus hippocastanum (Horse Chestnut)

A plant source used to produce medicines with antiinflammatory properties.

Atropa Belladonna

A plant source used as an anticholinergic medication.

Colchicum Autumnale

A plant source used traditionally for arterial hypertension and in modern medicine for antitumor or antigout applications.

Preclinical Trials

Initial trials of a chemical with therapeutic potential using in vitro or in vivo techniques, but not involving human subjects.

Phase I Studies

A pilot study using a small number of selected, usually healthy human volunteers.

Phase II Studies

A clinical study of a proposed drug performed by selected physicians using actual patients who have a related disorder.

Phase III Studies

The use of a proposed drug on a larger sample size, followed by evaluation by the FDA.

Phase IV Studies

A stage of continuous evaluation of a drug that occurs after it has been released for marketing.

Off Label Use

The use of a drug for an indication other than its FDA-approved purpose, such as Minoxidil, Sildenafil, or Gabapentin.

Pharmacokinetics

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

Pharmacodynamics

The way a drug affects the body, which may include replacing chemicals, stimulating/depressing cellular activities, or interfering with foreign cell function.

Absorption

The process of what happens to a drug from the time it is introduced until it reaches the circulating fluids and tissues.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The process, occurring primarily in the liver, that changes drugs into new chemicals and involves detoxification.

Distribution

The movement of a drug to the body’s tissues, affected by lipid solubility, perfusion, and plasma protein binding.

Excretion

The removal of drugs from the body through various routes including urine, skin, saliva, lungs, bile, and feces.

First Pass Metabolism

A pharmacological phenomenon where drug concentration is significantly reduced in the liver and GI tract before reaching systemic circulation.

Half-life

The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease to one half of its peak level.

Standard Metric Solid Equivalents

$1\,\text{gram (g)} = 1,000\,\text{milligrams (mg)}$ and $1\,\text{milligram (mg)} = 1,000\,\text{micrograms (mcg)}$.

Household Liquid Measurements

$3\,\text{teaspoons (tsp)} = 1\,\text{tablespoon (tbsp)}$ and $60\,\text{drops (gtt)} = 1\,\text{tsp}$.