Pharmacology Fundamentals: Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacodynamics, and Drug Safety

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering introductory pharmacology concepts, pharmacokinetics (ADME), dosage timings, pharmacodynamics, adverse effects, and drug interactions based on lecture notes.

Pharmacology

The science of drug spectrum.

Chemical Name

The name that represents the drug on a molecular and cellular level, reflecting its exact chemical composition and makeup.

Generic Name

A simpler name assigned by the US that manufacturers create to make drug identification easier than using the chemical name.

Lexicomp

A reference database used by nurses to look up comprehensive drug information and check whether intravenous (IV) medications are compatible.

Pharmacokinetics

The study of the movement of drugs within the body, comprising absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.

Absorption

The movement of a drug from its site of administration into the bloodstream and body.

Intramuscular (IM) Route

A drug administration route directly into the muscle, from which the medication enters directly into the bloodstream and venous system.

Subcutaneous (SubQ) Route

A drug administration route beneath the skin where the medication is slowly picked up by small blood vessels and capillaries before entering the bloodstream.

Solubility

The ability of a medication to be transformed into a liquid so it can be absorbed and travel through the bloodstream.

Lipid-Soluble Drugs

Medications that penetrate lipid-rich cell membranes and are capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier.

Enteric-Coated Tablet

A specially formulated tablet designed to bypass the stomach and dissolve in the lower digestive tract to prevent gastric irritation, which must never be crushed.

Ionized Drugs

Electrically charged drug molecules that cannot readily pass through lipid cell membranes.

Nonionized Drugs

Neutral, uncharged drug molecules that are able to pass through cell membranes.

Distribution

The transportation of a drug within body fluids to various tissues, target sites, and organs.

Free Drug Molecules

The unbound, circulating portion of a drug in the plasma that produces pharmacological effects and can be metabolized and excreted.

Metabolism (Biotransformation)

The chemical inactivation of a drug into a more water-soluble unit so that it can be excreted, primarily occurring in the liver.

First-Pass Effect

The initial metabolism and inactivation of an orally administered drug as it passes through the liver prior to reaching systemic circulation.

Onset of Action

The time needed for drug concentration to reach a high enough blood level for the therapeutic effect to appear.

Peak Action (Peak Level)

The point in time when the concentration of a medication reaches its highest level in the bloodstream.

Duration of Action

The period of time during which a medication produces a pharmacological effect before it is metabolized and excreted.

Therapeutic Range

The target blood concentration window maintained during multidose administration that ensures efficacy without causing toxicity.

Therapeutic Level

The specific concentration of a drug in the bloodstream that produces the desired effect without producing toxicity.

Trough Level

The lowest concentration of a drug in the bloodstream, measured via a blood sample drawn immediately prior to the next scheduled dose.

Half-Life

The amount of time required for half ($50\%$) of a drug in the body to be eliminated.

Teratogenic

A property of a drug or substance that is harmful to a developing fetus and capable of causing developmental abnormalities.

Pharmacodynamics

The study of the physiological and biochemical effects of drugs on the body.

Primary Effects

The intended, predicted, and therapeutic responses for which a medication is prescribed.

Secondary Effects

Non-therapeutic and unintended physiological effects produced by a drug, which may be harmless or adverse.

Side Effects

Predictable, unintended secondary effects that commonly occur at standard therapeutic doses to which patients may adapt.

Adverse Reactions

Unpredictable, harmful, and potentially severe responses to a medication that are often dose-related or related to patient sensitivity.

Toxic Reactions

Dangerous, harmful drug responses caused by overdosing, chronic accumulation, or impaired metabolism and excretion.

Allergic Reaction

An immune-mediated response where the body's immune system identifies a drug as foreign and produces an inflammatory reaction such as urticaria, pruritus, edema, or rhinitis.

Anaphylaxis

A severe, life-threatening allergic emergency marked by acute bronchoconstriction, laryngeal edema, sudden cessation of airflow, wheezing, and profound hypotension.

Idiosyncratic Reaction

An unexpected, abnormal, or paradoxical response to a medication that differs completely from its expected therapeutic action.

Cumulative Effect

An increased response to repeated doses of a drug that occurs when the administration rate exceeds the rate of metabolic clearance or excretion.

Antagonist Drugs

Medications that interfere with, counteract, or block the actions of another drug.

Drug Abuse

The inappropriate intake of a substance based on its amount, type, or situation of use, which can lead to dependence.