Orientation to Pharmacology

Pharmacology

The study of drugs and their interactions with living systems.

Drug

Any chemical that can affect living processes.

Clinical Pharmacology

Study of drugs in humans

Therapeutics

Also known as Pharmacotherapeutics

The use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or to prevent pregnancy

Properties of an Ideal Drug

Effectiveness (Most important)

Safety

Selectivity

Effectiveness

The most important property an ideal drug can have.

Safety

A property indicating that a drug cannot produce harmful effects.

Selectivity

A characteristic of an ideal drug where it elicits only the response for which it is given.

Examples of Adverse Effects

Certain anticancer drugs can increase the risk for infection

Opioid analgesics at high doses can cause respiratory depression

Aspirin and other related drugs can cause severe gastric ulceration, perforation, and bleeding when they are taken for prolonged periods of time

Adverse Effect (side effect)

A predictable side effect of a drug occurring at normal doses.

All drugs have adverse effects

Adverse Reaction (allergic reaction)

An undesired response to drug therapy that is unintended and occurs at normal doses.

Additional Properties of an Ideal Drug

Reversible action, Predictability, Ease of admin, Freedom from drug interactions, Low cost, Chemical stability, Simple generic name

No drug is ideal….

Therapeutic Objective of Drug Therapy

To provide maximum benefit with minimum harm.

Factors that Determine Drug Response Intensity

Administration, Pharmacokinetics, Pharmacokinetics, Sources of individual variation

Administration

Important determinants of drug responses: Dosage, route, and timing

Medication Errors

Patient adherence

Pharmacokinetics

Determining how much of the administered dose gets to its sites of action and the impact of the body on drugs

Four Major Pharmacokinetic Processes

Drug Absorption, Drug Distribution, Drug metabolism, Drug excretion

Pharmacodynamics

The study of how drugs affect the body, focusing on drug-receptor interactions.

Placebo Effect

A phenomenon where a patient experiences a drug's effects due to their expectations rather than the drug's pharmacological action.

Sources of Individual Variation

Factors like physiologic, pathologic, and genetic variables that can affect drug responses.

Physiological Variables

Age, Gender, and Weight

Pathologic Variables

Diminished function of Kidneys and Liver

Genetic Variables

Can alter the metabolism of drugs and predispose the Pt to unique interactions