Pharmacology and Drug Administration Principles

A set of 20 vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental concepts in pharmacology, routes of drug administration, measurement units, and specific emergency medication profiles.

Bioavailability

The percentage of a medication or product that enters the blood supply, with intravenous (IV) administration setting the baseline at $100\%$ bioavailability.

United States Pharmacopoeia (USP)

The official recipe book for how medications are manufactured in the United States, indicated on medication labels following the drug name to guarantee contents.

Brand Name

A registered trademarked name given to a drug by a manufacturer (also known as a trade name) that is always capitalized and typically costs more than generic equivalents.

Generic Name

The official non-proprietary name of a medication, such as ibuprofen or albuterol, which contains the exact same active ingredients as brand-name versions.

Intravenous (IV)

A route of administration where a needle and catheter are inserted into a vein, delivering medication directly into the blood supply with instant onset and $100\%$ bioavailability.

Interosseous (IO)

A route of administration where a needle is inserted into the medullary cavity of a bone, delivering fluid into the circulatory system with speed and bioavailability equivalent to an IV.

Intramuscular (IM)

A route of administration where medication is injected into a muscle at a $90^\circ$ angle using a needle $1\frac{1}{4}$ to $1\frac{1}{2}$ inches long, offering medium to fast absorption.

Subcutaneous (SQ)

A route of administration injected into the fatty tissue layer under the skin at a $45^\circ$ angle, resulting in slower absorption due to lower blood flow.

Intranasal (IN)

A route of medication administration delivered across the highly absorbent nasal mucosa inside the nasal passages.

Sublingual

A route of medication administration where a drug, such as nitroglycerin, is placed directly under the patient's tongue.

PO (Per Os)

A route of administration derived from Latin meaning by mouth, where medication is swallowed or chewed and swallowed, such as aspirin.

Buccal

A route of administration where a medication, such as oral glucose, is placed inside the patient's cheek pocket.

Indication

The specific medical reason or condition that calls for administering a particular medication.

Contraindication

A specific situation or clinical condition in which a medication should not be administered because it could cause harm.

Side Effect

An expected or predictable secondary reaction caused by a medication that occurs alongside its main therapeutic action.

Aspirin (ASA)

A platelet inhibitor medication administered for chest pain suggestive of an AMI at a standard dose of $324\,\text{mg}$ (four $81\,\text{mg}$ chewable tablets) chewed and swallowed.

Albuterol

A beta-2 specific bronchodilator used to treat bronchospasms, functioning as an adrenergic receptor agonist in the sympathetic fight-or-flight response.

Atrovent

A bronchodilator used for bronchospasms in COPD and asthma that works by blocking cholinergic receptors to suppress parasympathetic response.

Epinephrine

A hormone and neurotransmitter that stimulates alpha-1, beta-1, and beta-2 receptors; administered IM at $0.3\,\text{mg}$ for adults or $0.15\,\text{mg}$ for pediatrics under $30\,\text{kg}$ for severe asthma or anaphylaxis.

Mucosal Atomizer Device (MAD)

A foam-tipped adapter attached to a syringe that atomizes liquid medication into a fine mist for intranasal administration.