Chapter 13 Principles of Pharmacology Flashcards by Derek Ross

The early phase of cardiac repolarization, during which the heart muscle cannot be stimulated to depolarize;
also known as the effective refractory period.

absolute refractory period (ARP)

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The process by which the molecules of a substance are moved from the site of entry or administration into
systemic circulation; in allergic reactions, movement of a foreign material into the skin. In the context of
decontamination, use of large pads to soak up liquid and remove it from the patient.

absorption

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An enzyme found in the central nervous system, in red blood cells, and in motor endplates of skeletal
muscle that causes the decomposition of acetylcholine.

acetylchollnesterase

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Medications that have undergone biotransformation and are able to alter a cellular process or body function.

active metabolites

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A method used to move compounds across a cell membrane to create or maintain an imbalance of charges,
usually against a concentration gradient and requiring the expenditure of energy.

active transport

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Abnormal or harmful effects to an organism caused by exposure to a chemical; indicated by some result
such as death, a change in food or water consumption, altered body and organ weights, altered enzyme
levels, or visible illness.

adverse effects

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The ability of a medication to bind with a particular receptor site.

affinity

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A group of medications that initiates or alters a cellular activity by attaching to receptor sites, prompting a
cellular response.

agonist medications

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The state of being insensible to pain while still conscious.

analgesia

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An extreme systemic form of an allergic reaction involving one, two, or more body systems.

anaphylaxis

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A medication that causes the inability to feel sensation.

anesthetic

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A group of medications that prevent endogenous or exogenous agonist chemicals from reaching cell
receptor sites and initiating or altering a particular cellular activity.

antagonist medications

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Medications used to fight infection by killing the microorganisms or preventing their multiplication to allow
the body’s immune system to overcome them.

Antibiotics

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Medications used to treat fungal infections.

antifungals

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Medications used to kill or suppress the growth of microorganisms.

antimicrobials

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Ability of cardiac pacemaker cells to initiate an electrical impulse spontaneously without being stimulated
from another source (such as a nerve).

Automaticity

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The percentage of the unchanged medication that reaches systemic circulation.

bioavailability

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A process with four possible effects on a medication absorbed into the body (1) An inactive substance can
become active, capable of producing desired or unwanted clinical effects. (2) An active medication can be
changed into another active medication. (3) An active medication may be completely or partially inactivated.
(4) A medication is transformed into a substance (active or inactive) that is easier for the body to eliminate.

biotransformation

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Narrowing of the bronchial tubes.

bronchoconstriction

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Widening of the bronchial tubes.

bronchodilation

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Medications that bind with heavy metals in the body and create a compound that can be eliminated; used in
cases of ingestion or poisoning.

chelating agents

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Having the characteristics of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system; also refers to
other structures or functions that are related to acetylcholine.

cholinergic

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Medications that temporarily bind with cellular receptor sites, displacing agonist chemicals.

chcompetitive antagonistsolinergic

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A term used to describe paralytic agents that act at the neuromuscular junction by binding with nicotinic
receptors on muscles, causing fasciculations and preventing additional activation by acetylcholine.

competitive depolarizing

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Any conditions, especially any diseases, that render some particular line of treatment improper or undesirable.

contraindications

A process in which repeated exposure to a medication within a particular class causes a tolerance that may be "transferred" to other medications in the same class.

cross-tolerance

Several smaller doses of a particular medication capable of producing the same clinical effects as a single larger dose of that same medication.

cumulative action

A hemoprotein involved in the detoxification of many drugs.

cytochrome P-450 system

The physical, behavioral, or emotional need for a medication or chemical to maintain "normal" physiologic function.

Dependence

In response to an action potential, the rapid movement of electrolytes across a cell membrane that changes the overall charge of the cell. This rapid shifting of electrolytes and cellular charges is the main catalyst for muscle contractions and neural transmissions.

depolarization

A chemical or medication that decreases the performance of the central nervous system or sympathetic nervous system.

depressant

Drugs used in the treatment of heart failure and certain atrial dysrhythmias.

digitalis preparations

The movement and transportation of a medication throughout the bloodstream to tissues and cells and, ultimately, to its target receptor.

distribution

A chemical that increases urinary output.

diuretic

A graphic illustration of the response of a drug according to the dose administered.

dose-response curve

The specified amount of a medication to be given at specific intervals.

dosing

The process in which a mechanism reducing available cell receptors for a particular medication results in tolerance.

down-regulation

A substance that has some therapeutic effect (such as reducing inflammation, fighting bacteria, or producing euphoria) when given in the appropriate circumstances and in the appropriate dose.

drug

The grouping to which a medication belongs. Medications are grouped according to their characteristics, traits, or primary components.

drug class

In a pharmacologic context, the time a medication concentration can be expected to remain above the minimum level needed to provide the intended action.

duration (of action)

Pertaining to voluntary muscle movements that are distorted or impaired because of abnormal muscle tone.

dystonic

Sites of generation of electrical impulses other than normal pacemaker cells.

ectopic foci

In a pharmacologic context, the ability of a medication to produce the desired effect.

efficacy

In a pharmacologic context, the removal of a medication or its by-products from the body.

elimination

Originating from within the organism (body).

endogenous

Originating outside the organism (body).

exogenous

Seepage of blood and medication into the tissue surrounding the blood vessel.

extravasation

The process of medication molecules binding with carrier proteins when no energy is expended.

facilitated diffusion

Brief, uncoordinated twitching of small muscle groups in the face, neck, trunk, and extremities; may be seen after the administration of a depolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent (eg, succinylcholine chloride).

fasciculations

The movement of fluid from intravascular fluid under high pressure to interstitial fluid, which is generally under lower pressure.

filtration

The process in which the rate of elimination is directly influenced by plasma levels of a substance.

first-order elimination

The alteration of a medication via metabolism within the gastrointestinal tract before it reaches systemic circulation.

first-pass effect

A physical tolerance to the therapeutic and adverse clinical effects of a medication or chemical.

habituation

The time needed in an average person for metabolism or elimination of 50% of a substance in the plasma.

half-life

A measure of the relative percentage of blood cells (mainly erythrocytes) in a given volume of whole blood.

hematocrit

The destruction of red blood cells by disruption of the cell membrane.

hemolysis

Attracted to water molecules.

hydrophilic

In a pharmacologic context, abnormal susceptibility to a medication, possibly due to genetic traits or dysfunction of a metabolic enzyme, that is peculiar to an individual patient (and usually unexplained).

idiosyncratic

Medications that have undergone biotransformation and are no longer able to alter a cell process or body function; not pharmacologically active.

inactive metabolites

A circumstance that points to or shows the cause, pathology, treatment, or issue of an attack of disease; that which points out; that which serves as a guide or warning.

indication

A situation in which one medication or chemical taken by a patient undermines the effectiveness of another medication taken by or administered to a patient.

interterence

Attracted to fats and lipids.

lipophilic

The way in which a medication produces the intended response.

mechanism of action

The weight-based dose of a medication that was effective in 50% of the humans and animals tested.

median effective dose (ED50)

The weight-based dose of a medication that caused death in 50% of the animals tested.

median lethal dose (LD50)

The weight-based dose of a medication that demonstrated toxicity in 50% of the animals tested.

median toxic dose (TD50)

A substance used to treat an illness or condition.

medication

A document that gives detailed information about drugs, such as their indications and uses, dosing information, precautions, contraindications, and adverse effects.

medication monograph

A mild to severe reaction after the first exposure to a medication or other substance, which often features many of the same signs and symptoms as an immune-mediated reaction.

medication sensitivity

Medications that permanently bind with receptor sites and prevent activation by agonist chemicals.

noncompetitive antagonists

A term used to describe drugs that produce muscle relaxation by interfering with impulses between the nerve ending and the muscle receptor.

nondepolarizing

Uncharged.

nonionic

The time needed for the concentration of the medication at the target tissue to reach the minimum effective level.

onset

A fall in blood pressure when changing to a standing position.

orthostatic hypotension

The movement of a solvent, such as water, from an area of low solute concentration to one of high concentration through a selectively permeable membrane to equalize concentrations of a solute on both sides of the membrane.

osmosis

Characterized by the movement of a solvent, such as water, across a semipermeable membrane (eg, the cell wall) from an area of lower solute concentration to an area of higher concentration.

osmotic

Opposite from expected.

paradoxical

A chemical that binds to the receptor site but does not initiate as much cellular activity or change as other agonists do; lowers the efficacy of other agonist chemicals present at the cells.

partial agonist

In a pharmacologic context, the point of maximum effect of a drug.

peak

The biochemical and physiologic effects and mechanism of action of a medication in the body.

pharmacodynamics

The activity of medications in the body over time, such as absorption, distribution, and elimination.

pharmacokinetics

The scientific study of how various substances interact with or alter the function of living organisms.

pharmacology

A form of endocytosis in which the cell membrane sinks inward and ingests droplets of extracellular fluid.

pinocytosis

In a pharmacologic context, the positive and negative effects of an inactive medication on a person that are related to the person's expectations and other factors.

placebo effect

A process in which medication molecules temporarily attach to proteins in the blood plasma, significantly altering medication distribution in the body.

plasma protein binding

The relationship between the desired response of a medication and the dose required to achieve the response.

potency

A specialized area in tissues that initiates certain actions after specific stimulation.

receptor

The portion of the cardiac action potential that extends from the middle of phase 3 to the beginning of phase 4; during this time, the heart muscle has been partially repolarized and may depolarize in response to an electrical stimulus.

relative refractory period (RRP)

A severe, possibly fatal reaction that mimics a burn; may be due to a medication.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome

A medication or chemical that temporarily enhances central nervous system and sympathetic nervous system functioning.

stimulant

Medications administered to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system.

sympathomimetics

A condition in which repeated doses of medication within a short period rapidly cause tolerance, making the medication virtually ineffective.

tachyphylaxis

The relationship between the median effective dose and the median lethal dose or median toxic dose; also known as the therapeutic ratio.

therapeutic index

In a pharmacologic context, the concentration of medication at which initiation or alteration of cellular activity begins.

threshold level

Physiologic adaptation to the effects of a drug such that increasingly larger doses of the drug are required to achieve the same effect.

tolerance

Clinical changes caused by a medication that cause harm or discomfort to a patient; also known as adverse effects.

untoward effects

Narrowing of the diameter of a blood vessel.

vasoconstriction

Widening of the diameter of a blood vessel.

vasodilation

A classification scheme for medications based on the mechanism of action rather than on specific medication groups.

Vaughan-Williams classification

The extent to which a medication will spread within the body.

volume of distribution

A property that indicates a material can be dissolved in water.

water soluble

A process in which a fixed amount of a substance is removed during a certain period, regardless of the total amount in the body.

zero-order elimination