Studied by 17 people
What is pharmacology?
Integrated medical science involving chemistry, biochemistry, anatomy, physiology, microbiology, and others.
What does pharmacology study?
Drugs, their actions, dosage, therapeutic uses or indications, adverse effects.
What is drug therapy linked to?
Drug therapy is directly linked to the pathophysiology of a particular disease.
What are drugs?
Substances that alter the biologic activity of people, including placebos.
Where do drugs come from?
Drugs may come from natural sources (plants, animals, microorganisms) or can be synthesized.
What are the purposes of administering drugs?
Promote healing,
cure disease,
control or slow progress of a disease,
prevent disease,
increase comfort levels,
decrease risk of complications,
use as replacement therapy,
and reduce excessive activity in the body.
What are the separate disciplines in pharmacology?
1. Pharmacodynamics
2. pharmacokinetics
3. pharmacotherapeutics
4. toxicology
5. pharmacy
What does the discipline of pharmacodynamics study?
Drug-induced responses of physiologic and biochemical systems.
What does the discipline of pharmacokinetics study?
Drug amounts at different sites after administration.
What does the discipline of pharmacotherapeutics study?
Choice and drug application for disease prevention, treatment, or diagnosis.
What does the discipline of toxicology study?
The body's response to drugs, harmful effects, mechanisms of actions, symptoms, treatment, and identification.
What does the discipline of pharmacy involve?
Preparation, compounding, dispensing, and record keeping of therapeutic drugs.
How are drugs classified?
Grouped by their primary pharmacologic action and effect.
What are indications of a drug?
Approved uses to treat conditions that the drug has been proved to be effective.
What are off-label uses?
Uses of a drug not approved by regulatory bodies.
What are contraindications?
Situation where the drug should not be taken.
What are side effects?
Mild, undesirable effects of a drug.
What are adverse or toxic effects?
Dangerous or life-threatening drug effects.
What is hypersensitivity?
Allergic reaction to a drug.
What are the possible outcomes of hypersensitivity reactions?
Reactions may be mild or result in anaphylaxis.
What is idiosyncratic (paradoxical) response?
Unexpected or unusual response to a drug unique to the patient.
What is iatrogenic effect?
Negative effect associated with drug administration. Examples include: medication error, drug overdose, negative medication interaction.
What is teratogenic effect?
Harmful effect on fetus causing developmental defects.
What are drug interactions?
Modifications in drug effects due to combination with another drug, food, or herbal compound.
What is synergism?
Effect of drug combination is greater than the sum of individual drug effects.
What are the possible outcomes of synergism?
Can be life-threatening or beneficial.
What is antagonism?
Combination greatly decreases the effect of one or both drugs.
When is antagonism beneficial?
When an antidote is required for accidental poisoning or overdose.
What is potentiation?
One drug enhances the effect of a second drug. Example: Epinephrine and local anesthetic prolonging the effects of the latter.
What is a dose?
The amount of drug required to produce the desired effect at a single time.
What does dosage refer to?
Total amount of drug given over time
How is a child's dose calculated?
By their weight, not age
What is a loading dose?
Larger dose administered initially to raise blood levels quickly
Why are loading doses often used with antimicrobial drugs?
To quickly reach effective blood levels
What factors are considered when establishing an optimum dosing schedule?
Absorption, transport in the blood, half-life of the drug, and biotransformation
Why is it important to maintain effective blood levels of a drug without reaching toxic levels?
To ensure therapeutic effects without harm.
What are some factors that can affect blood levels of drugs?
Time of absorption, timing of administration, drug dosage, amount of drug excreted
What are some factors that can affect drug distribution in the body?
Circulation & cardiac function,
age,
gender,
body weight & proportion of fatty tissue,
activity level,
liver and kidney function (Ability to absorb, metabolize & excrete drugs),
food and fluid intake,
genetic factors,
health status/presence of disease - chronic or acute.
Some methods of drug administration for ____________ action is topical application to the skin, application to the mucous membranes, oral administration, and inhalation for selected respiratory conditions.
Local.
Some methods of drug administration for ____________ action is transdermal, oral, sublingual, transdermal, rectal (suppository), inhalation, subcutaneous or intramuscular injection, intravenous injection, and intrathecal injection (injection through the sheath meninges around the spinal cord into the subarachnoid space).
Systemic.
What are the routes of drug administration?
Oral, sublingual, parenteral (injection), inhalation, topical, suppository, otic, ophthalmic
What are the different types of Parenteral (injection) drug administration?
Subcutaneous (SC/SubQ) - below dermal skin layer (insulin),
Intramuscular (IM) - gluteus or deltoid (immunizations),
Intravenous (IV) (quickest route) - vein (analgesia),
Intradermal (ID) - dermal skin layer (allergy, TB skin test),
and Intrathecal (IT) - below meninges (chemo for leukemia).
What are the different types of oral administration?
Tablet, capsule, liquid. This is the slowest route of drug administration.
What is the sublingual route of administration?
Under the tongue
What is the inhalation route of administration?
Respiratory tract
What is the topical route of administration?
Skin or mucous membrane. usually in a gel, cream, spray or liquid form.
What is the transdermal route of administration?
Applied on skin but drug administers continuously through skin to blood
What is the suppository route of administration?
Vaginal or rectal
What is the otic route of administration?
Ear
What is the ophthalmic route of administration?
Eye
What is drug absorption?
Movement of drug from administration site to one or more body membranes
Where does absorption usually take place?
Mucosa of stomach, mouth, small intestine, rectum, blood vessels, muscles, subcutaneous tissues, skin.
What conditions may alter the absorption process?
Size of drug particles,
physical state of drug particles,
Drug properties,
Presence/absence of food in digestive tract,
Membrane thickness, surface area, how cellular membranes connected,
Bloodstream - binding to plasma proteins,
Body temperature,
What is Drug Distribution?
How drugs are transported throughout the body.
How are drugs distributed throughout the body?
Circulatory system, through capillaries & across cell membrane. May be adversely affected by poor circulation which may prevent drug from reaching site (e.g. shock). Physiological barriers may also hinder distribution (BBB, placenta).
What is drug metabolism and where does it primarily occur?
Where drugs are made more or less active. Primary site is the
liver, but can occur in almost every cell.
What factors can affect drug metabolism?
age, disease, genetic effects.
What is drug excretion and where does it occur?
Route of drug elimination from the body. Occurs in kidneys, sweat glands, lungs, breast milk, feces or bile.
Drugs may stimulate receptors ________________.
Directly.
Drugs may block __________ _________ for normal chemicals of body.
Receptor site.
Specificity of drug is dependent on _______ ____ ___________.
Mode of action.
Drugs that interact w/ several metabolic pathways or common functions are likely to have _____________ side effects.
Greater.
What are the four categories of drug response?
1. Dose effects
2. Time effects
3. Variability
4. Toxicity
What is dose effects in terms of drug response?
Goal to produce the desired positive effects and minimize the potential toxic effects, will vary by patient.
What is time effects in terms of drug response?
Will affect the magnitude of the response to the dose given. The time response itself measures time of administration, onset of response, peak effect, toxicity, etc.
What is variability in terms of drug response?
Variables that influence the biotransformation and eventual elimination of the drug, i.e. chemical properties, toxic effects, liver & kidney disease, etc.
What is toxicity in terms of drug response?
An effect that is harmful to a biologic system; n includes the following characteristics: physiochemical properties, routes and rates of administration, etc.
What is a prescription?
A signed legal document that includes patient and prescriber information, drug details, and instructions. Prescribed by doctors, nurse practitioners (some), dentists, veterinarians, etc.
What information must be included in a prescription?
Patient name, address, age; Prescriber's name, address, identification number; Date; Name and amount of drug; Dosage; Route and directions for use; Permission for additional quantities.
Do over-the-counter medications require a prescription?
No, they do not require a physician's order.
What is the chemical name of a drug?
The chemical component of the drug.
What is the generic name of a drug?
The unique, official, and simple name for a specific drug.
What does drug classification indicate?
Similarities in drug actions and effects.
What is the trade/product name of a drug?
The proprietary or brand name of a drug.
What is the purpose of drug regulation?
To ensure quality and safety of drugs.
What does the Food & Drug Act regulate?
Access to controlled or restricted drugs, drug storage, drug administration accounting, and labeling.
How are drugs categorized in terms of regulation?
They are assigned one or more schedule (category) according to the Food & Drug Regulations and the Controlled Drugs & Substances Act.
What determines the schedule/category of a drug?
The drug's effect and potential effect.
What is the role of traditional forms of therapy?
To address pathophysiologic changes and improve function.
What do physiotherapists (PTs) do?
Assess physical function, work to restore any deficit and prevent further physical dysfunction.
What are some approaches used by physiotherapists to reduce pain?
Appropriate exercises, ultrasound, and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
What are the major areas for physiotherapy?
Rehabilitation and long-term care, in which the focus is on maximizing mobility and functional independence.
What is chest therapy used for?
To mobilize excess secretions and aid lung function.
What is the role of occupational therapists (OTs)?
To provide a functional assessment of patient capabilities related to daily activities.
What does the functional assessment by OTs include?
Evaluation of motor, cognitive, and visual-spatial ability.
What is the focus of physiotherapy in long-term care?
Maximizing mobility and functional independence.
Who do physiotherapists work with?
Patients with acute neurologic, musculoskeletal, and cardiopulmonary disorders.
What is the goal of therapies in patient care?
To achieve a return to health and improve function with minimal complications.
What is the role of an occupational therapist?
Teaching clients to use adaptations and assessing technologies.
What does an occupational therapist do in the workplace setting?
Assess workplace tasks and instruct clients in supportive technologies.
What is the role of a speech/language therapist?
Assessment and treatment of communication or swallowing problems.
What does a nutrition/dietician do?
offers advice to individuals or groups on the nutritional demands and food management best suited to a specific diagnosis (e.g., diabetes);
supervise food services in hospitals, other health care institutions;
may be consulted regarding the dangers of extreme diets or eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa.
What techniques do registered massage therapists use?
use a variety of techniques to increase circulation, reduce pain, and increase flexibility for clients experiencing joint pain or problems with body alignment; may also use soothing aromatics, acupuncture, or other modalities during therapy.
What do osteopaths do?
medical doctors who use all the traditional treatment methods such as surgery and drugs, but in addition they promote the body's natural healing processes by incorporating manipulations of the musculoskeletal system in both diagnosis and treatment.
What is chiropractic medicine?
based on the concept that one's health status is dependent on the state of the nervous system, which regulates all body functions to maintain homeostasis. Practice frequently involves manipulation of the vertebral column. Although no drugs or surgery are included in chiropractic therapy, acupuncture may be used.
Chiropractic therapy
Manipulation of the vertebral column to maintain homeostasis.
Naturopathy
Promoting natural foods, massage, exercise, and fresh air for health.
Homeopathy
Stimulating the immune system through plant, animal, and mineral products.
Herbal Medicine
Using herbs and plants for medicinal purposes.
Aromatherapy
Using essential oils for therapeutic effects.
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