Chapter 30: Medications Flashcards
Chemical name of drug
identifies drug’s atomic and molecular structure
Generic Name of drug
assigned by the manufacturer that first develops the drug; derived from the chemical name
Official name
name by which the drug is identified in official publications (typically generic name)
Trade name:
brand name copyrighted by the company that sells the drug
Ways to prepare drugs
- Oral
- Topical
- Parenteral
Oral Drugs
Capsule, pill, tablet, extended
release, elixir, suspension,
syrup
Topical Drugs
Liniment, lotion, ointment,
suppository, transdermal
patch
Parenteral
Injectable
Infusion
implantation
How are drugs classified?
- Classified by effect on body system;
- Chemical composition;
- Clinical indication or
therapeutic action
Two primary classifications of drugs
- Pharmaceutical class
- Therapeutic class
Pharmaceutical class
Refers to the mechanism of action (MOA), physiologic effect (PE), and chemical structure (CS) of the drug
Therapeutic Class
Refers to the clinical indication for the drug or therapeutic action (e.g., analgesic, antibiotic, or antihypertensive).
Pharmacokinetics (Effect of Body on Drug)
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Metabolism
- Excretion
Factors Affecting Absorption of Medications:
- Route of Administration
- Lipid solubility
- pH
- Blood flow
- Local conditions at the site of administration
- Drug dosage
Pharmacodynamics
Pharmacodynamics is the process by which drugs alter cell physiology and affect the body
Drug Receptor interaction
occurs when the drug interacts with one or more cellular structures to alter cell function
Types of Adverse Drug Reactions
Side effects:
Allergic effects: anaphylactic
reaction
Drug tolerance
Toxic effect
Idiosyncratic effect
Drug interactions:
antagonistic and synergistic
effects
Factors Affecting Drug Action
- Developmental considerations
- Weight
- Biologic sex
- Cultural and genetic factors
(ethnopharmacology) - Psychological factors
- Pathology
- Environment
- Timing of administration
Therapeutic Range
Concentration of drug in the blood serum that produces the desired effect without causing toxicity
Peak Level
Highest Plasma Concentration of a Drug
Trough Level
The point when the drug is at its lowest concentration, indicating the rate of elimination
Half Life
Amount of time it take for 50% of blood concentration of a drug to be eliminated from the body
Types of Medication Orders
Standing order (routine order)
PRN order
Single or one time order
Stat order
Standing order (routine order)
Carried out until cancelled by another order
PRN order
as needed
Stat order
carried out immediately
Parts of the medication order
Patient’s name
Date and time order is written
Name of drug to be administered
Dosage of drug
Route by which drug is to be administered
Frequency of administration of the drug
Signature of person writing the order
Three checks of medication administration
- When the nurse reaches for the container or unit dosage package
- After retrieval from the drawer and compared with the eMAR/MAR, or compared with the eMAR/MAR immediately before pouring from a multidose container
- Before giving the unit dose
medication to the patient or when replacing the multi-dose container in the drawer or shelf
Most important rights of medication administration
Right medication
Right patient
Right dosage
Right route
Right time
Controlled Substances Required Info
Name of patient receiving the controlled substance
Amount of the substance used
Hour the controlled substance was given
Name of the prescribing provider
Name of the nurse administering the substance
Types of oral medications (different oral forms)
Solid form
Liquid form
Solid form drugs examples
Tablets, capsules, pills
Liquid form example drugs
elixirs, spirits, suspensions, syrups
Routes in which drugs are administered orally
Oral route
Enteral route
Sublingual administration
Buccal administration
Oral route
patient swallow drug
Enteral route
administering drug through an enteral tube
Sublingual administration
placing drug under tongue
Buccal administration
placing drug between tongue and cheek
Administration of Parenteral Meds
Subcutaneous injection
Intramuscular injection
Intradermal injection
Intravenous injection
Intra-arterial injection
Intracardinal injection
intraperitoneal injection
intraspinal injection
intraosseous injection
Subcutaneous injection
subcutaneous tissue
Intramuscular injection
muscle tissue
Intradermal injection
corium (under epidermis)
Intravenous injection
vein
Intra-arterial injection
artery
Intracardinal injection
heart tissue
Intraperitoneal injection
peritoneal cavity
intraspinal injection
spinal canal
Intraosseous injection
Bone
Criteria for Choosing Equipment for Injections
Route of administration
Viscosity of the solution
Quantity to be administered
Body size
Type of medication
Sites ofr Intramuscular Injections
Ventrogluteal site
Vastus lateralis site
Deltoid muscle site
Dorsogluteal site is no longer
recommended.
What type of medication is administered into the dermis?
Intradermal injections
What injection has the longest absorption time of all parenteral routes
Intradermal injections
What types of tests are intradermal injections used for?
Sensitivity test and local anesthesia
Sites that are commonly used for intradermal injections
inner surface of the forearm
upper back, under the scapula
What is the dosage given intradermally?
is small, usually less than 0.5mL
Where generally, are subcutaneous injections administered?
Administered into the adipose tissue layer just below the epidermis and dermis
Various sites used for subcutaneous injections
Outer aspect of the upper arm
Abdomen (from below the costal margin to the iliac crests)
The anterior aspects of the thigh
The upper back
The upper ventral or dorsogluteal area
What way of administering medications delivers medication directly into the blood stream?
IV
What kind of effect does IV meds have/
Medication has an immediate effect and cannot be recalled or actions slowed
Route most often used in emergency situation
Topical Administration of Medications
Skin applications
Eye instillations and irrigations
Ear instillations and irrigations
Nasal instillations
Vaginal applications
Rectal instillations
Types of Medication Errors
- Inappropriate prescribing of the drug
- Extra, omitted, or wrong doses
- Administration of drug to wrong patient
- Administration of drug by wrong route or
rate - Failure to give medication within
prescribed time - Incorrect preparation of drug
- Improper technique when administering
drug - Giving drug that has deteriorated
