pharmacology pt. 4

indication

reason to use a particular drug for a particular disorder

alkaloid

a drug that is combined with acids to make salts

distribution

a branch of pharmacokinetics which describes the reversible transfer of a drug from one location to another within the body

antagonist

medication that binds to a receptor

allergic reaction

hypersensitivity to a drug

anti inflammatory

a drug that reduces inflammation

biotransformation

chemical changes that a substance undergoes in the body

curative

medication prescribed to kill the causative agents

demulcent

drug used to soothe a body part or to relieve symptoms of irritation

pharmacology

the branch of medicine concerned with the uses, effects and the modes of actions of drugs

pharmacotherapeutics

a branch of pharmacology, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as “the study of the therapeutic uses and effects of drugs” this is a study of the beneficial and adverse effects of drugs

denominator

part of a fraction representing the total number of parts

dosage strength

amount of drug in the given form, such as tablet or capsule

gram

mass metric measure equivalent to one thousandth of a kilogram

liter

metric measure or volume, roughly equivalent to quart in household measure

adverse reaction

undesirable drug effect

dimensional analysis

newer method of calculating drug dosages based on fractions

metric system

system of measurement based on units of 10

numerator

part of a fraction representing the number of parts taken (the number above the line)

solvent

fluid in which a solid dissolves; also called the diluent

antagonism

cancellation or reduction of one drugs effect by another drug

nonprescription drugs

safe when taken as directed, can be obtained without a prescription

prescription drugs

potentially harmful unless their use is supervised by a licensed health care provider, such as a nurse practitioner, physician, or dentist

what is a common adverse reaction to chemotherapy drugs?

hair loss

in what drug schedule would you find heroine and other specialty drugs?

schedule 1