Chapter 2: Pharmacologic Principles

Question 1

Addictive Effects

Answer 1

Drug interactions in which the effect of a combination of two or more drugs with similar actions is equivalent to the sum of the individual effects of the same drugs given alone. For example, 1 + 1 = 2 (compare with synergistic effects). (p. 32)

Question 2

Adverse Drug Event

Answer 2

Any undesirable occurrence related to administering or failing to administer a prescribed medication. (p. 32)

Question 3

Adverse Drug Reaction

Answer 3

Any unexpected, unintended, undesired, or excessive response to a medication given at therapeutic dosages (as opposed to overdose). (p. 32)

Question 4

Adverse Effects

Answer 4

A general term for any undesirable effects that are a direct response to one or more drugs. (p. 30)

Question 5

Agonist

Answer 5

A drug that binds to and stimulates the activity of one or more receptors in the body. (p. 29)

Question 6

Allergic Reaction

Answer 6

An immunologic hypersensitivity reaction resulting from the unusual sensitivity of a patient to a particular medication; a type of adverse drug event. (p. 32)

Question 7

Antagonist

Answer 7

A drug that binds to and inhibits the activity of one or more receptors in the body. Antagonists are also called inhibitors. (p. 29)

Question 8

Antagonistic effects

Answer 8

Drug interactions in which the effect of a combination of two or more drugs is less than the sum of the individual effects of the same drugs given alone (1 + 1 equals less than 2); it is usually caused by an antagonizing (blocking or reducing) effect of one drug on another. (p. 32

Question 9

Bioavailability

Answer 9

A measure of the extent of drug absorption for a given drug and route (from 0% to 100%). (p. 21)

Question 10

Biotransformation

Answer 10

One or more biochemical reactions involving a parent drug; occurs mainly in the liver and produces a metabolite that is either inactive or active. Also known as metabolism. (p. 25)

Question 11

Blood-brain barrier

Answer 11

The barrier system that restricts the passage of various chemicals and microscopic entities (e.g., bacteria, viruses) between the bloodstream and the central nervous system. It still allows for the passage of essential substances such as oxygen. (p. 25)

Question 12

Chemical name

Answer 12

The name that describes the chemical composition and molecular structure of a drug. (p. 18)

Question 13

Contraindication

Answer 13

Any condition, especially one related to a disease state or patient characteristic, including current or recent drug therapy, which renders a particular form of treatment improper or undesirable. (p. 30)

Question 14

Cytochrome P-450

Answer 14

The general name for a large class of enzymes that play a significant role in drug metabolism and drug interactions. (p. 26)

Question 15

Dependence

Answer 15

A state in which there is a compulsive or chronic need, as for a drug. (p. 31)

Question 16

Dissolution

Answer 16

The process by which solid forms of drugs disintegrate in the gastrointestinal tract and become soluble before being absorbed into the circulation. (p. 19)

Question 17

Drug

Answer 17

Any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism. (p. 18)

Question 18

Drug Actions

Answer 18

The processes involved in the interaction between a drug and body cells (e.g., the action of a drug on a receptor protein); also called mechanism of action. (p. 19)

Question 19

Drug Classification

Answer 19

A method of grouping drugs; may be based on structure or therapeutic use. (p. 19)

Question 20

Drug effects

Answer 20

The physiologic reactions of the body to a drug. They can be therapeutic or toxic and describe how the body is affected as a whole by the drug. (p. 28)

Question 21

Drug-induced teratogenesis

Answer 21

The development of congenital anomalies or defects in the developing fetus caused by the toxic effects of drugs. (p. 33)

Question 22

Drug interaction

Answer 22

Alteration in the pharmacologic or pharmacokinetic activity of a given drug caused by the presence of one or more additional drugs; it is usually related to effects on the enzymes required for metabolism of the involved drugs. (p. 31)

Question 23

Duration of action

Answer 23

The length of time the concentration of a drug in the blood or tissues is sufficient to elicit a response. (p. 28)

Question 24

Enzymes

Answer 24

Protein molecules that catalyze one or more of a variety of biochemical reactions, including those related to the body’s physiologic processes as well as those related to drug metabolism. (p. 29)

Question 25

First-pass effect

Answer 25

The initial metabolism in the liver of a drug absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract before the drug reaches systemic circulation through the bloodstream. (p. 21)

Question 26

Generic name

Answer 26

The name given to a drug by the United States Adopted Names Council. Also called the nonproprietary name. The generic name is much shorter and simpler than the chemical name and is not protected by trademark. (p. 18)

Question 27

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency

Answer 27

A hereditary condition in which red blood cells break down when the body is exposed to certain drugs. (p. 33)

Question 28

Half-life

Answer 28

In pharmacokinetics, the time required for half of an administered dose of drug to be eliminated by the body, or the time it takes for the blood level of a drug to be reduced by 50% (also called elimination half-life). (p. 27)

Question 29

Idiosyncratic reaction

Answer 29

An abnormal and unexpected response to a medication, other than an allergic reaction, that is peculiar to an individual patient. (p. 33)

Question 30

Incompatibility

Answer 30

The characteristic that causes two parenteral drugs or solutions to undergo a reaction when mixed or given together that results in the chemical deterioration of at least one of the drugs. (p. 32)

Question 31

Intraarterial

Answer 31

Within an artery (e.g., intraarterial injection). (p. 22)

Question 32

Intraarticular

Answer 32

Within a joint (e.g., intraarticular injection). (p. 22)

Question 33

Intrathecal

Answer 33

Within a sheath (e.g., the theca of the spinal cord, as in an intrathecal injection into the subarachnoid space). (p. 22)

Question 34

Medication error

Answer 34

Any preventable adverse drug event (see above) involving inappropriate medication use by a patient or health care professional; it may or may not cause patient harm. (p. 32)

Question 35

Medication use process

Answer 35

The prescribing, dispensing, and administering of medications, and the monitoring of their effects. (p. 32)

Question 36

Metabolite

Answer 36

A chemical form of a drug that is the product of one or more biochemical (metabolic) reactions involving the parent drug (see later). Active metabolites are those that have pharmacologic activity of their own, even if the parent drug is inactive (see prodrug). Inactive metabolites lack pharmacologic activity and are simply drug waste products awaiting excretion from the body (e.g., via the urinary, gastrointestinal, or respiratory tract). (p. 32)

Question 37

Onset of action

Answer 37

The time required for a drug to elicit a therapeutic response after dosing. (p. 28)

Question 38

P-glycoprotein

Answer 38

A transporter protein that moves drugs out of cells and into the gut, urine, or bile. (p. 26)

Question 39

Parent drug

Answer 39

The chemical form of a drug that is administered before it is metabolized by the body into its active or inactive metabolites (see metabolite). A parent drug that is not pharmacologically active itself is called a prodrug. A prodrug is then metabolized to pharmacologically active metabolites. (p. 20)

Question 40

Peak effect

Answer 40

The time required for a drug to reach its maximum therapeutic response in the body. (p. 28)

Question 41

Peak level

Answer 41

The maximum concentration of a drug in the body after administration, usually measured in a blood sample for therapeutic drug monitoring. (p. 28)

Question 42

Pharmaceutics

Answer 42

The science of preparing and dispensing drugs, including dosage form design. (p. 19)

Question 43

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 43

The study of the biochemical and physiologic interactions of drugs at their sites of activity. It examines the physicochemical properties of drugs and their pharmacologic interactions with body receptors. (p. 19)

Question 44

Pharmacoeconomics

Answer 44

The study of economic factors impacting the cost of drug therapy. (p. 19)

Question 45

Pharmacogenomics

Answer 45

The study of the influence of genetic factors on drug response that result in the absence, overabundance, or insufficiency of drug-metabolizing enzymes (also called pharmacogenomics; see Chapter 8). (p. 33)

Question 46

Pharmacognosy

Answer 46

The study of drugs that are obtained from natural plant and animal sources. (p. 19)

Question 47

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 47

The study of what happens to a drug from the time it is put into the body until the parent drug and all metabolites have left the body. Pharmacokinetics represent the drug absorption into, distribution and metabolism within, and excretion from the body. (p. 19)

Question 48

Pharmacology

Answer 48

The broadest term for the study or science of drugs. (p. 18)

Question 49

Pharmacotherapeutics

Answer 49

The treatment of pathologic conditions through the use of drugs. (p. 19)

Question 50

Prodrug

Answer 50

An inactive drug dosage form that is converted to an active metabolite by various biochemical reactions once it is inside the body. (p. 26)

Question 51

Receptor

Answer 51

A molecular structure within or on the outer surface of a cell. Receptors bind specific substances (e.g., drug molecules), and one or more corresponding cellular effects (drug actions) occur as a result of this drug-receptor interaction. (p. 29)

Question 52

Steady state

Answer 52

The physiologic state in which the amount of drug removed via elimination is equal to the amount of drug absorbed with each dose. (p. 28)

Question 53

Substrates

Answer 53

Substances (e.g., drugs or natural biochemicals in the body) on which an enzyme acts. (p. 26)

Question 54

Synergistic effects

Answer 54

Drug interactions in which the effect of a combination of two or more drugs with similar actions is greater than the sum of the individual effects of the same drugs given alone. For example, 1 + 1 is greater than 2 (compare with additive effects). (p. 32)

Question 55

Therapeutic drug monitoring

Answer 55

The process of measuring drug levels to identify a patient’s drug exposure and to allow adjustment of dosages with the goals of maximizing therapeutic effects and minimizing toxicity. (p. 28)

Question 56

Therapeutic effect

Answer 56

The desired or intended effect of a particular medication. (p. 28)

Question 57

Therapeutic index

Answer 57

The ratio between the toxic and therapeutic concentrations of a drug. (p. 30)

Question 58

Tolerance

Answer 58

Reduced response to a drug after prolonged use. (p. 31)

Question 59

Toxic

Answer 59

The quality of being poisonous (i.e., injurious to health or dangerous to life). (p. 19)

Question 60

Toxicity

Answer 60

The condition of producing adverse bodily effects due to poisonous qualities. (p. 28)

Question 61

Toxicology

Answer 61

The study of poisons, including toxic drug effects, and applicable treatments. (p. 19)

Question 62

Trade name

Answer 62

The commercial name given to a drug product by its manufacturer; also called the proprietary name. (p. 18)

Question 63

Trough level

Answer 63

The lowest concentration of drug reached in the body after it falls from its peak level, usually measured in a blood sample for therapeutic drug monitoring. (p. 28)