Unit 1 Vocabulary

teratogentic

causing abnormal embroyonic or fetal development

placebo

substance that contains no medication

estrogen

produced by the ovaries, female scondary sex characteristics

antidote

relieves, prevents, or counteracts the effect of a posion

polypharmacy

use of various drugs during the same period

progesterone

produced by the ovaries, prepares the uterus for pregnancy

assessment

collection of patient data

parenteral

injected administration; subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous

half-life

the time needed for the serum level to fall 50%

hypersensitivity

immune-mediated reaction to a drug

testosterone

male sex hormone secreted by the testes in men

transdermal

absorption of drugs through the skin

antagonist

drug that inhibits cell function by occuping receptor sites

pharamacotherapy

the use of drugs to prevent, diagnose or treat disease signs and symptoms

pharmacology

the study of drugs that alter function

prototype

first drug of a particular class

agonist

produces similar effects then hormones, neurotransmitters, other substances

first pass effect

initial metabolism of some oral drug before raching the systemic circulation

brand name

manufacturer’s chosen name for a drug, which is protected by a patent

black box warning

required by the FDA; it alerts of the potiental of serious adverse effects of a medication

bioavailability

portion of a drug dose that reaches the systemic circulation and is availabe to act

reconciliation

help minimize the risk of medication interactions with newly prescribed medications

pharmacodynamics

“what the drug does to the body”

pharmacokinetics

“what the body does to the drug”

blood brain barrier

barrier that prevents the passage of drug molecules from the blood to the brain