Anesthesia Vocabulary

Question 1

Agonist

Answer 1

A drug that activates a receptor by binding to it and initiating a biological response

Question 2

Antagonist

Answer 2

A drug that binds to a receptor without activating it, thereby block- ing the receptor from being activated by other substances.

Question 3

Competitive antagonism

Answer 3

A type of antagonism where the antagonist inhibits the response of an agonist by competing for the same receptor binding site.

Question 4

Non-competitive antagonism

Answer 4

A type of antagonism where the antagonist binds to a different site on the receptor, making it less responsive to agonists even at high concentrations.

Question 5

Partial agonists

Answer 5

Drugs that activate receptors but to a lesser extent than full ago- nists, resulting in a partial biological response.

Question 6

Inverse agonists

Answer 6

Drugs that induce the opposite effect of an agonist by binding to the same receptor site and producing a negative response.

Question 7

Tolerance

Answer 7

A decreased response to the same dose of a drug over time, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Question 8

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 8

The quantitative study of how drugs are absorbed, distributed, metabolized, and excreted by the body.

Question 9

Central volume

Answer 9

The volume of distribution at steady state for anesthetics, which reflects their distribution throughout the central compartment of the body.

Question 10

Vessel rich group

Answer 10

The primary targets for bolus injection of anesthetics, including the brain, heart, kidneys, and liver, which have a high blood flow.

Question 11

Zero-order processes

Answer 11

Processes in which the rate of elimination or consumption of a drug remains constant regardless of the drug concentration.

Question 12

First-order processes

Answer 12

Processes in which the rate of elimination of a drug is proportional to the total amount of drug present in the body.

Question 13

Elimination Half-time

Answer 13

The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to de- crease by half during a constant concentration infusion or after a bolus dose.

Question 14

Elimination Half-life

Answer 14

The time it takes for the concentration of a drug in the body to decrease by 50% through elimination processes.

Question 15

Context-sensitive half-time

Answer 15

The time required for the blood plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50% after discontinuation, taking into account the drug’s elimination characteristics.

Question 16

Clearance

Answer 16

The amount of drug that is extracted by an organ per unit of time, indicating the organ’s ability to eliminate the drug.

Question 17

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 17

The study of how drugs interact with the body and produce their effects, including the intrinsic sensitivity or response of the body to a drug.

Question 18

Stereochemistry

Answer 18

The study of how molecules are structured in three dimensions, which can affect their biological activity.

Question 19

Chirality

Answer 19

A subset of stereochemistry that deals with molecules having the same central atom but different arrangements of surrounding atoms, resulting in mirror forms that are non-superimposable.

Question 20

Enantiomerism

Answer 20

The existence of mirror-image forms of the same molecule that are non-superimposable, known as enantiomers.

Question 21

Racemic

Answer 21

A 50:50 mixture of two enantiomers, resulting in no net optical rotation.

Question 22

Pharmacogenetics

Answer 22

The study of how individual genetic variations can influence a patient’s response to drugs, particularly in terms of drug metabolism.

Question 23

Amnesia

Answer 23

A state of unconsciousness and suppression of arousal and mem- ory recall or consolidation.

Question 24

Recall

Answer 24

The ability to retrieve stored memory and bring it into conscious awareness.

Question 25

Sedation

Answer 25

The induction of a state of decreased consciousness at different depths, including Stage 1, Stage 2, and Stage 3 sedation.

Question 26

General anesthesia

Answer 26

A medically induced state of loss of consciousness with simulta- neous loss of protective reflexes, allowing for surgical procedures to be performed.

Question 27

Analgesia

Answer 27

The absence of pain or the relief of pain without loss of conscious- ness.

Question 28

Allodynia

Answer 28

The perception of pain in response to a non-painful stimulus, such as a light touch.

Question 29

Hyperalgesia

Answer 29

An abnormal or heightened sensitivity to pain, resulting in an exaggerated response to painful stimuli.

Question 30

Sensitization

Answer 30

The process of increasing responsiveness to receptor transmission, leading to enhanced responses to subsequent stimuli

Question 31

Neuropathic pain

Answer 31

Pain that persists after tissue injury has healed, often caused by damage or dysfunction of the nervous system.

Question 32

Somatic pain

Answer 32

Distinct, easily localized pain that arises from the skin, muscles, bones, or connective tissues.

Question 33

Visceral pain

Answer 33

Diffuse, poorly localized pain that originates from the internal or- gans, often accompanied by emotional and automatic responses.

Question 34

Neuralgia

Answer 34

Intense, intermittent pain along a nerve or group of nerves, often caused by nerve damage or irritation.

Question 35

Tachyphylaxis

Answer 35

A rapid and decreased response to repeated administration of a compound, requiring higher doses to achieve the same effect.

Question 36

Additive

Answer 36

The combination of doses that results in a summated effect equal to the sum of their individual effects.

Question 37

Synergistic

Answer 37

The interaction between compounds that produces a greater ef- fect than the sum of their individual effects, allowing for lower doses to achieve the desired outcome.

Question 38

Efficacy

Answer 38

The ability of a drug to produce a physiological or clinical effect, often measured by the magnitude of the response.

Question 39

Potency

Answer 39

The ability of a drug to produce an effect at a given dose, often measured by the concentration required to produce a specific response.

Question 40

Median effective dose (ED50)

Answer 40

The dose of a drug that is required to produce a specific effect in 50% of individuals.

Question 41

Median lethal dose (LD50)

Answer 41

The dose of a drug that is lethal for 50% of individuals.

Question 42

Therapeutic index

Answer 42

The ratio of the median lethal dose (LD50) to the median effective dose (ED50), providing an indication of the safety margin of a drug.

Question 43

Acute pain

Answer 43

Short-term pain that occurs immediately after an injury or surgical procedure, typically resolving as the underlying cause heals.

Question 44

Chronic pain

Answer 44

Persistent pain that lasts beyond the expected healing time of the underlying cause, often lasting for months or even years.