NURS-340: Patho-Pharm 1 (Exam 1)

What is physiology?

The study of normal functions of the body

What is pathology?

Structrural and functional changes in cells, tissues, and organs that cause or result from disease

Why do nurses study pathophysiology?

To understand clinical manifestations, medication actions, side effects, complications, and why nursing interventions work

How does the WHO define health?

A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease

What factors influence health?

Age, genetics, gender, environment, and social factors

What is disease?

A condition in which normal function is impaired; varies in severity and duration

What is an acute disease?

A condition that occurs suddenly and resolves quickly

What is a chronic disease?

A long-lasting condition that may never fully resolve but can often be managed

What does insidious mean?

Gradual onset that may be easily overlooked

What does exacerbation mean?

Acute worsening of a disease

What does remission mean?

A period when signs and symptoms lessen but the disease is still present

What is a congenital disease?

A condition present at birth

What is a hereditary disease?

A disease transmitted across generations

What is a genetic disorder?

A disease caused by abnormalities in genes

What is an inflammatory disease?

A disease triggered by the body’s immune response

What is a degenerative disease?

A disease caused by deterioration of tissues (e.g., osteoarthritis)

What is a metabolic disease?

A disease caused by problems with biochemical processes

What is a neoplastic disease?

A disease involving uncontrolled cell growth (cancer)

What is a sign?

An objective, measurable finding (e.g., BP, lab values)

What is a symptom?

A subjective experience reported by the patient (e.g., pain, nausea)

What is prognosis?

The likelihood of recovery or return to previous functioning

What is mortality?

The death rate from a disease

What is morbidity?

The rate of disease or illness in a population

What is comorbidity?

The presence of additional diseases alongside a primary condition

What is a complication?

A secondary pathological process that is not an essential part of the disease

What does idiopathic mean?

The cause of a disease is unknown

What are risk factors?

Conditions or behaviors that increase disease likelihood

What is etiology?

The study of disease causation

What is pathogenesis?

The step-by-step mechanism of how a disease develops

What is cellular adaptation?

A reversible response to stress that helps prevent cell injury or death

What is proliferation?

Cell division to increase cell number

What is differentiation?

Specialization of cells in structure and function

Is cell injury reversible?

Yes, up to a certain point

What are common causes of cell injury?

Physical, chemical, biologic agents, nutritional deficiencies, and free radicals

What are two major causes of premature cell death?

Hypoxia and ischemia

What is hypoxia?

Inadequate oxygen supply to tissues

What is ischemia?

Decreased blood flow to an organ

What is apoptosis?

Normal, programmed cell death

What is necrosis?

Premature, abnormal cell death due to injury

____________ causes cell shrinkage.

Apoptosis

____________ causes swelling, rupture, and inflammation.

Necrosis

What is genetics?

The study of genes and how traits are inherited

What is genomics?

The study of the entire genome and gene-environment interactions

What are genes?

Segments of DNA on chromosomes that code for proteins and traits

What is an allele?

A variation of a gene at a specific locus

How many alleles are inherited for each gene?

Two (one from each parent)

What is a recessive gene?

A gene that is expressed only when both alleles are identical (homozygous)

What is a dominant gene?

A gene that is expressed when one or two alleles are present

What is phenotype?

Observable physical and behavioral traits

What is genotype?

The genetic makeup or allele combination of an individual

What is expressivity?

The degree to which a gene is expressed in an individual

What is penetrance?

The percentage of individuals with a gene who express the trait

What is Down syndrome?

A chromosomal disorder caused by trisomy 21

What are common features of Down syndrome?

Intellectual disabilities, characteristic facial features, hypotonia, and cardiac defects

What is Klinefelter syndrome?

A condition in males caused by one or more extra X chromosomes (XXY)

What is Turner syndrome?

A condition caused by partial or complete absence of one X chromosome in females

What is transcription?

The process of making mRNA from DNA

What is translation?

The process of using mRNA to synthesize proteins

What is pharmacology?

The study of drugs and their effects on the body

What nine body systems are commonly affected by drugs?

Neurological, musculoskeletal, respiratory, cardiovascular, hematologic, gastrointestinal, reproductive/genitourinary, endocrine, and immune systems

What is pharmaceutics?

How the form of a drug affects its absorption, dissolution, and onset of action

What is pharmacokinetics?

How the body absorbs, distributes, metabolizes, and eliminates a drug

What is pharmacodynamics?

The biochemical changes that occur in the body due to a drug

What are therapeutic effects?

The intended or desired effects of a drug

What are adverse drug reactions (ADRs)?

Unintended, non-therapeutic effects of a drug

What does the “N” in the NURSE acronym stand for?

Name (generic and brand)

What does the “U” in the NURSE acronym stand for?

Usage (why the drug is given)

What does the “R” in the NURSE acronym stand for?

Responsibilities (nursing assessments and monitoring)

What does the “S” in the NURSE acronym stand for?

Side effects

What does the “E” in the NURSE acronym stand for?

Education (patient teaching)

What is a drug-drug interaction?

When one drug alters the effect of another drug

What is a drug-food interaction?

When food alters the absorption or metabolism of a drug

What is drug tolerance?

A decreased response to a drug requiring a higher dose

What is cumulative effect?

Drug buildup in the body due to impaired metabolism or excretion

What is drug toxicity?

Drug levels become high enough to cause harmful effects

What defines a drug category?

Drugs that act the same way and share therapeutic effects, side effects, and precautions

What is a prototype drug?

A representative drug used to study a drug class

What is the generic name of a drug?

The official, non-capitalized name

What is the brand (trade) name of a drug?

The capitalized name assigned by the manufacturer

Are generic and brand-name drugs interchangeable?

Yes, if FDA approved

What is a perscription drug?

A drug that must be obtained with a provider’s perscription

What are nonperscription drugs called?

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs

Are OTC drugs always safe?

No - misuse, interactions, and toxicity can still occur

What factors influence drug absorption?

Form, route, dissolution, and absorption rate

What are oral routes of administration?

Tablets, capsules, powders, and liquids

Why should enteric-coated tablets not be crushed?

Crushing alters drug release and absorption

What are parenteral routes?

Intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM), and subcutaneous (SubQ)

Which route provides the fastest absorption?

Intravenous (IV)

What affects subcutaneous drug absorption?

Water solubility and circulatory blood flow

Where can topical or transdermal drugs be applied?

Skin, eyes, ears, nose, rectum, vagina, or lungs

What are some of the advantages of using transdermal drugs?

Slow onset, longer duration, and constant drug levels

What are the four stages of pharmacokinetics?

Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination

What is drug half-life?

The time required for the drug concentration to decrease by half

What is onset of action?

The time until a drug begins to have an effect

What is peak level?

The highest concentration of a drug in the bloodstream

What is duration of action?

The length of time the drug produces a therapeutic effect

When is a peak drug level measured?

When the drug is at its highest concentration in the bloodstream (about 30 minutes to an hour after the first dose)

When is a trough drug level measured?

Right before the next dose is due

What are agonists?

Drugs that enhance cell action

What are antagonists?

Drugs that decrease or block cell action