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Pharm Week 2 Class Notes #1

Introduction to Pharmacology

  • Definition of drugs: Chemicals that alter functions in an organism for diagnosis, treatment, or disease prevention.

  • Pharmacology Overview: The study of preparation and dispensation of drugs.

Categories of Pharmacology

  • Pharmacology: Preparation and dispensing of drugs.

  • Pharmacognosy: Identification of drug sources from plants and animals.

  • Pharmacogenetics: Study of genetic differences affecting drug effects.

  • Therapeutics: Art of treating diseases with drugs (treat what you are treating).

  • Toxicology: Study of toxic substances, their actions, antidotes, and poison control.

Drug Interaction

  • Drug interactions include bad reactions, no reactions, slight reactions, or beneficial reactions when multiple drugs are taken.

Naming of Drugs

  • Drugs have three distinct names to minimize confusion:

    • Chemical Name: Detailed structure of the drug.

    • Generic Name: Standard name manufacturers use.

    • Brand Name: Marketing name used for sales appeal.

  • Example: Claritin (brand) is Loratadine (generic).

Administration of Drugs

  • Requires a prescription, even in hospital settings; necessity for communication with doctors emphasized.

  • Over-the-Counter (OTC) medications can be dispensed without prescriptions.

Prescription Components

  • Order includes:

    • Patient's details: name, address, birth date.

    • Inscription: type and amount of medication.

    • Subscription: directions for the pharmacist.

    • Patient's instructions: method of taking the medication.

    • Doctor’s signature and details.

Abbreviations and Dosage

  • Essential to know common abbreviations for dosages (e.g., BID - twice a day, TID - three times a day).

  • Importance of patient compliance in medication administration and effectiveness.

FDA and Drug Approval

  • FDA oversees clinical research and protection of human subjects to ensure drug safety.

Drug Action Phases

  1. Drug Administration: How a drug is introduced to the body (IV, oral, inhalation, etc.).

  2. Pharmacokinetics: What the body does to the drug (absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination).

  3. Pharmacodynamics: How the drug affects the body (mechanism and effect at receptor sites).

Drug Effects

  • Agonist drugs mimic natural hormones to stimulate a response (e.g., Albuterol as a beta agonist for bronchodilation).

  • Antagonist drugs block receptor activity to inhibit a response.

Side Effects & Adverse Effects

  • Side Effects: Secondary effects which are not the primary purpose (e.g., increased heart rate from albuterol).

  • Adverse Effects: Harmful effects that may require medical intervention (e.g., anaphylaxis).

Factors Influencing Drug Effects

  • Patient compliance: Proper use affects drug effectiveness.

  • Pathological state: Patient’s health status can alter drug response.

  • Genetic factors: Age and gender can influence metabolism and drug clearance.

  • Drug interactions: Competing drugs can prevent intended actions.

Key Points on Respiratory Drugs

  • Bronchodilators (e.g., Albuterol) must be administered with consideration of the patient's condition (e.g., bronchospasm).

  • Understand localized (e.g., inhaled medication affecting specific organs) vs systemic effects (full-body effects).

  • Knowledge of pharmacokinetics is crucial for efficient drug administration, especially within respiratory therapy.

Study Tips

  • Create flashcards for memorizing drug names, classifications, and abbreviations.

  • Focus on understanding rather than just memorization.

  • Always consider why a drug is being prescribed and how it will interact with existing treatments.