Pharmacology and Anesthesia for Surgical Technology

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering drug sources, orders, forms, routes of administration, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, federal regulations, labeling, conversions, and sterile field medication delivery protocols.

Pharmacology

The science of drugs.

Synthetic Drugs

Drugs synthesized entirely from laboratory chemicals (e.g., Demerol).

Semisynthetic Drugs

Drugs that begin with a natural substance that is extracted, purified, and altered through chemical processes (e.g., amoxicillin).

Biotechnology (Drug Source)

A process allowing scientists to produce proteins from bacteria that were previously obtainable only from animals (e.g., Humulin, Nutropin, Thyrogen, Activase).

Atropine

A plant-derived drug obtained from the roots of the belladonna plant (deadly nightshade).

Digitalis

A plant-derived drug obtained from the leaves of the purple foxglove.

Morphine

A plant-derived drug obtained from the seeds of the opium poppy.

Animal Drug Sources

Hormones and agents derived from bovine (cattle) or porcine (hog) sources, such as thyroglobulin from hog thyroid and bovine thrombin.

Silvadene Cream

An antimicrobial agent containing silver salts (minerals) used in dressings and burn creams.

Standing Orders

A protocol used for common situations requiring a standard treatment, such as those found on a Surgeon's Preference Card for specific surgical procedures.

Verbal Order

A commonplace surgical order requested by the surgeon for drug administration from the sterile field or by anesthesia, usually for a one-time single administration.

Stat Order

An order indicating that a drug is to be administered immediately and one time only, most commonly given verbally during cardiac arrest.

PRN Order

An order derived from pro re nata, meaning the drug may be administered as needed.

Solution

A liquid drug form in which drug particles are fully dissolved in a liquid medium such as water, alcohol, or saline.

Suspension

A liquid drug form containing solid particles that float throughout a liquid medium and must be shaken prior to administration to ensure even distribution.

Emulsion

A liquid drug form in which medication is contained in a mixture of water and oil bound together with an emulsifier (most commonly propofol in surgery).

Enteral Route

A route of administration in which medication is taken into the GI tract, either orally (PO, per ora) or as a rectal suppository.

Topical Route

A route of administration where medication is applied directly to the skin surface (slow) or a mucous membrane-lined cavity (quick) to produce local or systemic effects.

Instillation

A topical drug administration method into a mucous membrane-lined cavity, such as the eye, nose, or urethra.

Buccal Route

A route where medication is placed between the cheek and teeth or gums until dissolved and absorbed.

Sublingual Route

A route where medication is placed under the tongue until dissolved and absorbed.

Parenteral Route

Any administration route other than the digestive tract, most commonly subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous.

Intradermal Route

A parenteral route where medication is placed between the layers of the skin.

Subcuticular (SC or SQ) Route

A parenteral route where medication is placed into the adipose (fat) tissue layer under the skin.

Intrathecal Route

A parenteral route where medication is placed into the subarachnoid space.

Retrobulbar Route

A parenteral route where medication is placed into the space behind the eyeball for eye surgery.

Pharmacokinetics

The branch of pharmacology that focuses on how the body processes drugs, encompassing absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Absorption

The pharmacokinetic process by which a drug enters the body and moves from the site of administration into the blood.

Distribution

The pharmacokinetic process by which the circulatory system transports a drug throughout the body to diffuse out to its site of action.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The process of changing a drug's chemical composition from lipid-soluble molecules into water-soluble molecules that can be more easily excreted, usually occurring in the liver.

Excretion

The pharmacokinetic process of eliminating drug molecules from the body, usually carried out by the urinary system.

Pharmacodynamics

The science that examines how the body responds to the action of a drug.

Onset

The time between administration of a drug and the first appearance of its therapeutic effects.

Peak Effect

The point in time after drug administration when the drug reaches its maximum therapeutic response or biological effect within the body.

Duration of Action

The length of time a drug remains effective in the body, providing its intended therapeutic effect.

Agonist

A drug molecule that binds to a specific receptor and stimulates a biological response.

Antagonist

A drug that binds to specific receptor sites and prevents other medications from binding to them, reversing or blocking their effects.

Synergist

A drug that enhances or boosts the therapeutic effect of another drug.

Additive Effect

A drug interaction occurring when the combined effect of two or more drugs administered together equals the exact sum of their individual effects.

Therapeutic Range

The concentration range of a drug in the bloodstream in which it is clinically effective without causing serious side effects.

Side Effect

A predictable but unintended effect of a drug that is rarely serious but usually unavoidable.

Adverse Effect

Undesired, potentially harmful side effects of drugs, including drug toxicity, hypersensitivity, and idiosyncratic (unusual) reactions.

Contraindications

Specific clinical conditions or circumstances under which the use of a given medication should be avoided.

Pure Food and Drug Act (1906)

Federal legislation passed in 1906 that set standards for medication quality and required the proper labeling of medications.

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (1938)

Federal law passed in 1938 addressing drug effectiveness that mandated animal testing and formal marketing approval applications by pharmaceutical companies.

Durham-Humphrey Amendments (1952)

Amendments requiring a physician's order to dispense prescription drugs and establishing an Over-the-counter (OTC) category of medications.

Controlled Substances Act (1970)

Federal law regulating medications with abuse and misuse potential into 5 classifications (schedules) overseen by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

FDA PLLR Category A

Pregnancy category where well-documented studies demonstrate no risk to the fetus during any trimester (e.g., folic acid, magnesium sulfate).

FDA PLLR Category B

Pregnancy category showing no evidence of fetal risk in animal trials, with no human studies available (e.g., hydrochlorothiazide, amoxicillin).

FDA PLLR Category C

Pregnancy category where animal studies demonstrate fetal risk, but no adequate studies exist in humans (e.g., tramadol, gabapentin).

FDA PLLR Category D

Pregnancy category where studies demonstrate clear evidence of fetal risk in human trials (e.g., lisinopril, lorazepam).

FDA PLLR Category X

Pregnancy category where studies on pregnant women demonstrate fetal abnormalities, showing that risks clearly outweigh any benefits (e.g., warfarin, atorvastatin).

State Practice Acts

State laws governing the ordering, dispensing, and administration of medications, specifying licensed prescribers and pharmacy regulations.

Generic Name

The non-proprietary, shortened version of a drug's chemical name, written in all lowercase letters and used across multiple manufacturers.

Chemical Name

The complex designation of the precise chemical composition and molecular structure of a medication, included on package inserts rather than medication labels.

Trade (Brand or Proprietary) Name

The capitalized name assigned and copyrighted by a manufacturer for marketing purposes, followed by a federal registration symbol.

Dosage Strength

The number on a drug label that refers to dosage weight or the amount of medication in a specific unit of measurement.

Supply Dosage (Concentration)

The labeling metric that combines both dosage strength and the specific medication form.

Lot (Control) Number

A federally required identifier printed on medication packaging used to trace and identify a specific group of packages during a recall.

National Drug Code (NDC)

A federally mandated identification number required on every prescription medication package.

USP and NF

Abbreviations for the United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary, the two official national lists of approved medications.

Pound to Kilogram Equivalence

$$1\,\text{kg} = 2.2\,\text{lbs}$$

Fahrenheit to Celsius Conversion Formula

$$(F - 32) \times \frac{5}{9} = C$$

Celsius to Fahrenheit Conversion Formula

$$(C \times \frac{9}{5}) + 32 = F$$

Bulb Syringe

An irrigating syringe type commonly used in neonate, obstetric (OB), and neurosurgical procedures.

Six Rights of Medication Administration

Core patient safety standard requiring verification of: Right drug, Right dose, Right route, Right patient, Right time, and Right documentation.

Joint Commission NPSG.03.04.01

National Patient Safety Goal 3 regulation requiring that all medication containers on the sterile back table and field be labeled immediately.

Sterile Field Medication Label Requirements

Mandatory container information on the sterile field, including at least the medication name, strength (concentration), and expiration date.

Two-Step Verification

A safety confirmation protocol performed jointly by the circulator (RN) and the scrub (surgical technologist) before delivery of medication to the sterile field.