Biological response-modifying and antirheumatic drugs

Question 1

What are biological response-modifying drugs?

Answer 1

They alter the body’s responce to cancer autoimmune, inflammatory, and infectious diseases.

Question 2

What are immunomodulating drugs?

Answer 2

These are drugs that alter someones immune response to malignant tumor cells and viruses

Question 3

What are the two components of the immune system and what are they mediated by?

Answer 3

The humoral immunity is mediated by b cells and the cell-mediated immunity is mediated by t cells

Question 4

What is the humoral immune system?

Answer 4

This is mediated by b cells and occurs when there is an foreign antibody and the b cells will make antibodies. Some of the b cells remain as memory cells for future invaders like the original

Question 5

What is the cell mediated immunity

Answer 5

This relates to the t cells which are made in bone marrow and mature in thymus. There are three t cells one lyses the foreign entity, one helps by directing other immune response and the last one suppresses or controls the immune responce

Question 6

What type of t cell is more predominant in a healthy human?

Answer 6

T helper cells are more prevalent in healthy individuals

Question 7

What causes cancer cells?

Answer 7

Overactive t suppressor cells are responsible for cancer since they permit tumour growth that could be avoided.

Question 8

What are hematopoietic drugs, and when would they be used?

Answer 8

They are drugs that promote hematopoiesis. They would used in procedures or incidences where blood cell counts would decline such as thrombocytopenia, neutropenia.

Question 9

What are two examples of hematopoeitic drugs?

Answer 9

Darbepoetin alfa and filgrastim

Question 10

What are 3 things to remeber before administering filgrastim to a client?

Answer 10

It shouldnt be given until 24 hrs after chemo, should be refrigerated and left out for at least 30 minutes before administering, and should be administeres into SUBCUT of abdomen and back of arms

Question 11

What are interferon drugs?

Answer 11

These are synthetic drugs similar to cytokines in the body that have three functions that are antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulating.

Question 12

What are the indications for interferons?

Answer 12

Viral infections, cancer, and autoimmune disorders

Question 13

What are two important adverse effects for interferons?

Answer 13

Flu like symptoms, dose limiting adverse effect is fatigue and another adverse effect is anorexia

Question 14

What are three examples of interferon products?

Answer 14

IFN alfa-2b, peginterferon alfa-2a, and IFN beta products

Question 15

What are monoclonal antibodies?

Answer 15

These are drugs used for treartment of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis, MS, and organ transplantation

Question 16

What are TNF inhibitors?

Answer 16

These are monoclonals that are used to stop inflammation

Question 17

What are the 4 examples of TNF inhibitors?

Answer 17

Adalimumab, infliximab, rituximab, natiluzumab

Question 18

What is rituximab associaated with and what drugs should one premedicate with?

Answer 18

It is associated with an allergic response and should be premedicated with diphenhydramine and acetaminophen.

Question 19

What do interleukins do and what is the main drug example?

Answer 19

They are a natural part of the immune system that have antitumor action. The main drug example is aldesleukin

Question 20

What is the main drug for interleukins and what is it used to treat?

Answer 20

Aldesleukin is used to treat metastatic carcinoma and melonoma

Question 21

What is rheumatoid arthirits?

Answer 21

This is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and tissue damage in the joints

Question 22

How do antirheumatic drugs work?

Answer 22

They prevent certain inflammatory cells from moving into the inflamed and damaged joint

Question 23

What are the two nonbiological antirheumatic drugs?

Answer 23

Methotrexate and leflunomide

Question 24

What is methotrexate?

Answer 24

It is an antirheumatic drug that can be taken with folic acid to prevent adverse effects

Question 25

What are the four biological antirheumatic drugs?

Answer 25

Adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab, abatacept

Question 26

What is the main thing we monitor for patients on biological response modifiers?

Answer 26

We want to monitor their neutrophil levels.

Question 27

What is the main thing we are looking for when monitoring the effects of these drugs?

Answer 27

Wether the immune system has been triggered or suppressed