Chapter 1: Introduction to Pharmacology Flashcards
Identify key events in the history of pharmacology
Oldest form of healthcare. Babylonian scripts in 3000 BC Chinese recorded the Pen Tsao of plant remedies in 2700 BC Egyptians created the Eber’s Papyrus in 1500 BC First instance of “pharmacology” in 1693 Modern pharm started in 1800s Officially established as a separate discipline in 1846 John Jacob Abel - Father of American Pharm - founded first department of pharm at U of M in 1890
Explain the interdisciplinary nature of pharmacology, giving an example of how knowledge from different sciences impacts the nurse’s role in drug administration.
Knowledge of chemistry needs to be known - type of substances (ex: ahminoglycosides are a type of antibiotic with an amino group and sugar group) Knowledge of microbiology - how the antibiotic treats infection; what the infection is. Knowledge of anatomy and physiology - where the drug is metabolized and how it effects body chemistry.
Compare and contrast therapeutics and pharmacology.
Therapeutics: concerned with the prevention of disease and treatment of suffering. Pharmacology: application of drugs for the purpose of treating diseases and alleviating human suffering.
Compare and contrast traditional drugs, biologics, and complementary and alternative medicine therapies.
Drug: chemical agent capable of producing a biologic response within the body (can be therapeutic or adverse) Medication: after the drug is administered Biologics: agents naturally produced in animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself; large, complex molecules (hormones, vaccines) Biosimilar drugs/biosimilars: chemically synthesized drugs that are closely related to biologic medications that are approved by the FDA Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies: natural herbs/medicines and body-based practices
Explain the basis for placing drugs into therapeutic and pharmacologic classes.
Therapeutic classification: organizing drugs based on their therapeutic usefulness in treating a particular disease or disorder Pharmacologic classes: refers to the way a drug works at the molecular, tissue, or body system level; addresses the mechanism of action. Therapeutic: what it does; pharmacologic; how it does it
Discuss the prototype approaches to drug classifications
Well-understood drug model with which other drugs in its representative class are compared. Allows you to know one drug in a class really well to determine what effects other drugs in that class may have.
Describe what it is meant by a drug’s mechanism of action.
How a drug produces its physiologic effect in the body
Distinguish among a drug’s chemical name, generic name, and trade name.
Chemical name: assigned using standard nomenclature; long and complicated. Generic name: assigned; only one generic name per drug. Trade name: short and easy to remember; assigned by the company marketing the drug
Outline the major differences between prescription and over-the-counter drugs.
Prescription:
- Examin patient - determine diagnosis
- Maximize therapy - order proper drug, convey the amount and frequency
- Education of proper use and adverse effects
OTC:
- Obtained easily - save time and money
- Choosing the correct drug can be challenging
- Not aware of interactions
- Flase concept of safety
Explain the differences between trade-name drugs and their generic equivalents.
Trade-name drugs:
- Original drug made by a manufacture that has sole rights to produce it for 17 years with no competition
- Typicaly expensive (no competition)
Generic drugs:
- Slight differences from trade-name drug that can change the bioavailability of the drug
- Cheaper typically
Some drugs can be switched for the generic drug, but for some, the small differences can be life or death
Describe how decisions are made relative to drug therapy among groups of patients.
Decisions are made based on:
- Benefit in dollars
- Effectiveness in health improvment
- Minimization in terms of same benefit provided to other patients in a similar group
- Improved utility (both quantitiative and qualitative benefits)
What is the difference between therapeutic and pharmacologic classifications? Identify the following classifications as therapeutic or pharmacologic: beta-adrenergic blocker, oral contraceptive, laxative, folic acid agonist, and antianginal drug.
The therapeutic classification is a method of organizing drugs based on their therapeutic usefulness in treating particular diseases. The pharmacologic classification refers to how a drug works at the molecular, tissue, and body system levels. A beta-adrenergic blocker is a pharmacologic class. An oral contraceptive is a therapeutic class. A laxative is a therapeutic class. Folic acid antagonist is a pharmacologic class. Antianginal is a therapeutic class.
What is a prototype drug, and how does it differ from other drugs in the same class?
Prototype drugs exhibit typical or essential features of the drugs within a specific class. By learning the characteristics of the prototype drug, students may better anticipate the actions and adverse effects of other drugs in the same class.
Explain why a patient might seek treatment from an OTC drug instead of a more effective prescription drug.
The patient may choose OTC medications rather than more effective prescription medications for a variety of reasons. OTC medications do not require the patient to see a healthcare provider to write a prescription for the drug, saving time and cost for the office visit. OTC medications are also more readily available in a variety of settings than are prescription drugs. Patients often think they can effectively treat themselves and may believe that OTC medications do not have as many side effects as prescription medications.
A generic-equivalent drug may be legally substituted for a trade-name medication unless the medication is on a negative formulary or requested by the prescriber or patient. What advantages does this substitution have for the patient? What disadvantages might be caused by the switch?
The advantages of a generic drug include cost savings to the patient and the fact that the name will remain the same, regardless of which company makes the drug. However, because generic formularies may be different, the inert ingredients may be somewhat different and, consequently, may affect the ability of the drug to reach the target cells and produce an effect.
