NURS 1420: Pharmacology in Nursing - LG 2 Growth & Development, Vitamins & Minerals

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering terminology, drug classifications, age and population considerations, vitamins, minerals, herbal supplements, and GI pharmacology from NURS 1420 Learning Guide 2.

Expected pharmacological action

The intended primary physical or chemical mechanism through which a drug produces its specific effect within the body.

Therapeutic use

The clinical indication or intended beneficial effect of a medication in treating, preventing, or diagnosing a disease or condition.

Adverse drug reaction

Any unexpected, unintended, undesirable, or harmful effect produced by a medication when administered at normal therapeutic doses.

Side effects

Secondary, predictable physiological effects produced by a drug at therapeutic doses that are usually harmless or tolerable.

Toxic effects

Severe adverse reactions resulting from excess drug accumulation in the blood due to excessive dosing, impaired metabolism, or reduced excretion.

Allergic reaction

An unpredictable immune response to a medication following prior exposure, ranging from mild hypersensitivity reactions to life-threatening anaphylaxis.

Anaphylactic reaction

A severe, immediate, life-threatening allergic reaction characterized by sudden airway constriction, dyspnea, mucosal swelling, and cardiovascular collapse.

Tolerance

A reduced responsiveness to a drug after repeated administration, requiring increased dosages to achieve the same therapeutic response.

Cumulative effect

The increased pharmacological response that occurs when the body absorbs a medication faster than it can metabolize or excrete it.

Precaution

A patient factor or medical condition that increases the risk of an adverse reaction, requiring close monitoring or clinical adjustment.

Contraindication

A specific clinical condition or circumstance that makes the administration of a particular drug improper or potentially hazardous.

Generic name

The official, non-proprietary name assigned to a drug, which remains identical regardless of the manufacturer.

Trade/brand name

The proprietary name given to a drug by the specific pharmaceutical company that manufactures and markets it.

Medication reconciliation

The formal procedure of creating and verifying an accurate, complete list of a patient's current medications across all transitions of care.

Polypharmacy

The simultaneous use of multiple medications by a single patient, a common hazard in elderly populations that increases the risk of adverse drug interactions.

Ferrous sulfate

An oral iron preparation used to treat and prevent iron deficiency anemia; causes side effects such as dark black or dark green stools.

Vitamin B12/Cyanocobalamin

An essential water-soluble vitamin necessary for neurological function and hematopoiesis; administered via non-oral routes when malabsorption (such as post-gastric bypass) prevents oral absorption.

Folic Acid

A B-complex vitamin essential for DNA synthesis and cell division; widely used to treat deficiency states and prevent neural tube defects.

Potassium chloride

A mineral electrolyte supplement used to treat or prevent hypokalemia; must never be administered via direct IV push.

Black Cohosh

An herbal supplement commonly used as an alternative therapy for managing menopausal symptoms.

Feverfew

An herbal supplement widely used for migraine headache prophylaxis and reducing systemic inflammation.

Ginger root

An herbal dietary supplement commonly taken to alleviate nausea, motion sickness, and digestive upset.

Glucosamine

A dietary supplement used to support cartilage health and relieve joint pain associated with osteoarthritis.

Kava

An herbal product utilized for its sedating and anxiolytic properties, carrying significant risks of hepatotoxicity.

St. John's Wort

An herbal supplement used to treat mild to moderate depression, noted for causing widespread drug-drug interactions through enzyme induction.

Histamine (2) receptor antagonists

A class of gastrointestinal medications that block H2 receptors on parietal cells to decrease gastric acid secretion; smoking reduces their effectiveness.

Proton pump inhibitor

A class of powerful antisecretory drugs that inhibit gastric acid secretion; long-term therapy increases the risk of Clostridium difficile infection.

Mucosal protectant (sucralfate)

An anti-ulcer medication that forms a sticky gel-like protective coating over gastric ulcer sites to shield them from acid, pepsin, and bile.

Antacids

Over-the-counter basic compounds that neutralize existing gastric acid; calcium-based forms cause constipation, while magnesium-based forms produce diarrhea.

Ondansetron

A serotonin receptor antagonist antiemetic used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.

Scopolamine

An anticholinergic antiemetic agent administered transdermally to prevent and manage motion sickness.

Psyllium

A bulk-forming laxative that absorbs water to expand stool volume and promote normal intestinal peristalsis.

Docusate sodium

A stool softener laxative that lowers surface tension, allowing water and lipids to penetrate and soften hard stool.

Metoclopramide

A prokinetic antidiarrheal and antiemetic drug whose IV administration enhances gastric emptying; long-term or high-dose use carries a risk of Tardive dyskinesia.

Probiotics

Dietary supplements containing live non-pathogenic microorganisms used to restore normal gut flora, particularly during or after antibiotic treatment.

Hypokalemia

A serum potassium level that drops below the normal range of $3.5\text{--}5\text{ mEq/L}$, defined as a blood level below $3.5\text{ mEq/L}$.