Drug Classifications, Contrast Agents, and Emergency Medications

Flashcards covering pharmacy classifications, contrast agents, routes of administration, and emergency cardiorespiratory medications based on the lecture transcript.

Anti-arrhythmic

Drugs that affect the electrical conduction system of the myocardium.

Anti-hypertensive

Drugs that generally lower the blood pressure.

Digoxin

A medication used for increasing the force of myocardial contraction in the failing heart.

Lipid-lowering medications

Also known as "statins," these are used to lower serum cholesterol levels to assist in long-term life enhancement for patients with coronary syndromes or hypercholesterolemia.

Diuretics

Frequently referred to as "Water Pills," these medications are designed to eliminate excess fluid and sodium from the bloodstream.

Anti-coagulant

Used in patients who have either a history of blood clot formation or the potential to develop blood clots.

Anti-platelet

Used in patients who have experienced an acute ischemic event to either their heart or their brain in the past.

Thrombolytic Medication

Used to actively break up a newly formed clot, such as those found in patients with acute myocardial infarction, acute stroke, or lower leg ischemia.

Narcotic

A type of analgesic that stimulates central nervous system opioid receptors to cause a decrease in the perception of pain.

Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs)

A class of medications that reduce pain, fever, and inflammation by blocking Cyclooxygenase (COX) enzymes and prostaglandin production.

Acetaminophen

A low-potency pain reliever that must not exceed $4000\,mg$ per day to avoid severe liver damage.

Anti-histamine

Drugs that block histamine from producing adverse effects such as itching, inflammation, and respiratory distress.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

A condition where patients have no circulating endogenous insulin and are considered insulin dependent.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

A condition where patients have sufficient circulating endogenous insulin but poor receptor sensitivity to the insulin.

Anti-seizure (Anti-convulsant)

Medications used to prevent and to treat seizure disorders.

Anti-psychotic

Used to treat psychotic episodes and disorders such as schizophrenia, paranoid behaviors, hallucinations, and delusions.

Anti-depressant

Used to treat clinical depression that results from neurotransmitter deficiencies.

Antibiotics

Therapeutic agents used to kill or suppress pathogenic microorganisms responsible for causing infectious diseases.

Anti-fungals

Agents used to kill mycotic organisms.

Chemotherapy Drugs

Drugs that kill off rapidly growing (e.g., cancerous) cells of the human body by altering or destroying various stages in cellular division.

Radiopaque Contrast Agents (ROCM)

High-density pharmacologic agents used to visualize low-contrast tissues in the body, such as the vasculature, kidneys, or gastrointestinal tract.

Iodine

A frequently prescribed ROCM with an atomic number of $53$.

Barium

A frequently prescribed ROCM with an atomic number of $56$.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane.

Osmolality

The number of milliosmoles per kilogram of water ($mOsm\,kg^{-1}$), which controls the distribution and movement of water between body compartments.

Osmolarity

The number of milliosmoles per liter of solution ($mOsm\,dm^{-3}$), or the concentration of molecules per volume of solution.

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA)

A heart rhythm disturbance characterized by electrical impulses without cardiac contraction.

Anaphylaxis

A life-threatening, systemic Type I Hypersensitivity Reaction.

Oliguric Acute Renal Failure (ARF)

A condition where urine output does not exceed $400\,cm^{3}\text{/day}$ and the serum creatinine does not normalize.

Thyroid Storm

A condition occurring in patients with decompensated thyrotoxicosis where the body becomes unable to tolerate thyroid hormones.

Right Documentation

One of the Six Rights of Drug Administration; it involves recording the administration after giving it, not before.

Sublingual Route

Administration performed by placing the drug under the tongue for dissolution and absorption.

Buccal Route

Administration where a tablet is held in the mouth in the pocket between the gums and cheek.

Astringent

A topical effect resulting in vasoconstriction, tissue contraction, and decreased secretions and sensitivity.

Intradermal Injection

An injection made into the upper layers of the skin almost parallel to the skin surface, typically using a $26\text{ or }27$ gauge needle.

Subcutaneous Injection

An injection beneath the layers of skin but above the muscle, usually at a $45\text{ to }90$ degree angle.

Intramuscular Injection

An injection where larger doses (up to $5\,cm^{3}$) can be given, commonly using $1\text{ to }1\frac{1}{2}$ inch needles of $21\text{ to }23$ gauge.

Endotracheal Tubes

Tubes used primarily to assist patients through respiratory problems by bypassing the normal humidifying function of the upper respiratory tract.

Central Venous Lines

Catheters inserted into large veins (Subclavian, Internal Jugular, or Femoral) to administer drugs, manage fluid volume, and monitor heart pressures.

Pulmonary Arterial Lines

Also known as "Swan-Ganz Catheters," these incorporate an electrode at the distal end to monitor pulmonary arterial pressures.

Anxiety

A state of tension causing a patient to experience an unpleasant forewarning of danger.

Phobia

A psychological condition consisting of irrational fear leading to avoidance, such as claustrophobia.

Conscious Sedation

A drug-induced relaxation allowing a patient to tolerate unpleasant procedures while remaining conscious.

Midazolam

The most widely used benzodiazepine for conscious sedation, known for being predictable with a quick onset.

Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

The pharmaceutical equivalent of adrenaline produced by the adrenal gland, used as first-line treatment for cardiorespiratory arrest.

Vasopressin (Pitressin)

An alternative to epinephrine currently recommended for shock-resistant ventricular fibrillation and cardiovascular shock.

Dopamine (Intropin)

The pharmaceutical equivalent of endogenous dopamine; it supports blood pressure and treats hypotension.

Atropine

An anti-muscarinic agent that inhibits the action of acetylcholine, frequently used in cardiac arrest.

Lidocaine (Xylocaine)

An anti-dysrhythmic drug that blocks sodium channels to treat ventricular dysrhythmias in heart attack victims.

Amiodarone

An anti-dysrhythmic agent that suppresses dysrhythmias through mechanisms like sodium, beta-receptor, and calcium channel blockade.

Sodium Bicarbonate

A strong alkalinizing agent used for treating severe metabolic or respiratory acidosis during cardiac arrest.

Ionic Contrast Media

Electrically negative charge acids containing iodine that ionize in solution and cause more patient discomfort.

Non-Ionic Contrast Media

A contrast medium that does not ionize in solution, making it safer and better tolerated by patients.

Radiolucent Contrast Agents

Negative contrast agents with lower atomic numbers that appear dark or black on radiographs, such as air or $\text{CO}_2$.

Radiopaque Contrast Agents (Positive)

Agents with high atomic numbers that produce areas of decreased radiodensity, appearing light or white on radiographs.