Medication Safety and Pharmacology Review

Practice flashcards covering medication safety protocols, herbal interactions, anti-inflammatory drugs, and opioid/non-opioid analgesics.

Six Rights of Medication Administration

A foundational safety framework consisting of the right patient, the right medication, the right dose, the right route, the right time, and the right documentation.

LASSA drugs

An acronym for 'look-alike and sound-alike' medications, such as dopamine and dobutamine, which pose a high risk for administration errors.

Just Culture

A safety framework that focuses on protecting the patient and improving the system by distinguishing between human error, at-risk behavior, and reckless behavior rather than automatically assigning blame.

High-alert medications

Drugs that can cause serious, life-threatening harm if an error occurs, such as insulin, heparin, opioids, and intravenous electrolytes.

St. John's wort

An herbal supplement that can reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives and warfarin, and increase the risk of serotonin syndrome when taken with antidepressants.

Kava kava

An herbal remedy used for sedation that carries a significant risk of hepatotoxicity (liver injury), which may present as yellow skin or dark urine.

Licorice root

An herbal supplement that can cause increased blood pressure, fluid retention, and low potassium, potentially impacting heart rhythm.

Salicylates

A class of medications, including aspirin, used for fever and pain that also possess an antiplatelet effect, increasing bleeding risk.

Reye syndrome

A rare but serious condition affecting the liver and brain that is associated with aspirin use in children or teens with viral illnesses.

COX-2 inhibitors

Selective NSAIDs like celecoxib that target pain and inflammation with potentially less stomach irritation than traditional NSAIDs, though they still carry cardiovascular and kidney risks.

Colchicine

An anti-gout medication used for acute flares that lowers the inflammatory response to uric acid crystals; its main safety concern is stomach toxicity (severe diarrhea, nausea, vomiting).

Allopurinol

A prevention medication used to lower uric acid production over time; nurses should monitor for rash, fever, and skin changes.

Opioid agonists

A class of medications including morphine and fentanyl that bind to receptors in the central nervous system to relieve severe pain but can cause dangerous respiratory depression.

Miosis

Pinpoint pupils, which serve as a major clinical clue for detecting opioid toxicity.

Naloxone

The rescue medication used for the emergency reversal of opioid overdose and respiratory depression.

Naltrexone

An opioid antagonist used for longer-term blocking of opioid effects after detox, rather than for emergency rescue.

Acetylcysteine

The specific antidote used to treat acetaminophen (Tylenol) toxicity and prevent liver injury.

Tramadol

An atypical analgesic with weak opioid-like effects that can lower the seizure threshold and increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.

Sumatriptan

A triptan medication used to stop acute migraine attacks by narrowing cranial blood vessels; it is contraindicated in patients with ischemic heart disease or uncontrolled hypertension.