chapter 7: pharmacology Flashcards
the 6 rights to medication administration
- right patient
- right medication
- right dose
- right route
- right time
- right documentation and reporting
the goal of emergency pharmacology in the prehospital setting
use medication to reverse, prevent, or control various diseases and illnesses
leading cause of patient safety errors in heathcare
medication errors
medication
a drug that has been approved by the government agency that regulates pharmaceuticals
pharmacology
the study of medications and their effects and actions on the body
chemical name
describes the drugs chemical makeup
generic name
a general name for a drug
trade name
the unique name in which the original manufacturer registers the new drug with the HPFB
4 principle sources of medication
1) animal
2) plant
3) mineral
4) laboratory
assay
an analysis of the drug itself to evaluate its potency
bioassay
a procedure for determining the concentration, purity, and/or biologic activity of a substance by measuring the effect on an organism, tissue, cell, or enzyme
government agencies that regulate drugs
- HPFB
- the office of controlled substances
- the pharmaceutical advertising advisory Board
- the marketed health products
4 phases of clinical trials
phase 1:
- the new drug is tested in healthy volunteers to compare human data with those in animals
- determine safe doses of the drug
- to assess its safety
phase II:
- performed in homogenous populations of patients (50-300).
- in double blind studies one group receives the drug and the other receives the placebo.
- these studies are designed to evaluate the drugs efficacy and safety and to establish which form is the most effective dose
phase III:
- the drug is made available to a larger group of patients
- usually lasts several years
- evaluate the drugs efficacy and monitor the nature and incidence of side effects
phase IV:
- the drug company can submit a new drug submission (NDS) to the HPFB for approval to market the drug
- compare the new drug with others on the market
- examine the drugs long term efficacy and cost- effectiveness
notice of compliance
indicates that the drug has been reviewed and is authorized for marketing in canada
drug identification number
unique identifier for the drug
special access program
allows practitioners access to the drugs currently not available on the canadian market
2 pharmacological challenges of administering medication to a pregnant woman
- it can alter the mothers anatomy and physiological functions
- has the potential to directly harm the fetus
pediatric patients
- medications have different effects in adults vs. children
- children can metabolize some medications much more quickly than adults
- incomplete development of the gastrointestinal tract slows absorption of oral medications and delays elimination
geriatric patients
- the changes in pharmacokinetics are comparable to those in young children
- slow metabolism and gastrointestinal activity
- often taking multiple medications
- unintentionally overdose on a particular drug or forget how to take it
2 major types of peripheral nerves
afferent nerves
- carry sensory impulses from all parts of the body to the brain
efferent nerves
- carry messages from the brain to the muscles and other organs in the body
patients rights
- right to refuse treatment
- fully inform your patient about the care you are giving
central nervous system
- control centre
- receives input, interprets the stimulus, and makes decisions and directs actions
peripheral nervous systen
all nervous tissue outside of the brain and spinal cord
autonomic nervous system
sends sensory impulses from internal structures through afferent autonomic nerves in the brain
ganglia
grouping of nerve cell bodies located in the PNS
sympathetic nervous system
responsible for the fight-or-flight response
- the dominant system during periods of stress or activity
- regulates hypoglycemia, hypothermia, and trauma
- increases heart rate and force of contraction
adrenergic
relating to nerve fibres that release norepinephrine or epinephrine
sympathomimetic
effects resembling those caused by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system
ex) the effects seen after an injection of epinephrine
sympatholytic
interfering with or inhibiting the effect of impulses from the sympathetic nervous system
parasympathetic nervous system
- the dominant system during periods of rest and relation
- innervates most of the body
- decreases the rate and contractility of the heart
neurotransmission
process of chemical signalling between cells
affinity
the attraction between a medication and its receptors
agonist
a medication that stimulates a response in a receptor site
liquid medication forms
- solution
- suspension
- fluid extract
- tincture
- spirits
- syrup
- elixir
- milk
- emulsion
- liniments and lotions
solid medication forms
- extract
- powder
- capsule
- pulvule
- tablet
- suppository
- ointment
- patch
gaseous medication forms
vapour
local effects
result from the direct application of a drug to a tissue
systemic effects
occur after the drug is absorbed by any route and distributed by the bloodstream
3 routes of administration
- percutaneous
- enteral
- parental
percutaneous routes
any medication that is absorbed through the skin or through a mucous membrane
ex) transdermal route, sublingual route, buccal route, pulmonary route
enteral routes
medications that are absorbed somewhere along the gastrointestinal tract
ex) oral or rectal
parental routes
- medications are administered via any route other than alimentary canal, skin, and mucous membranes
- generally administered via syringe and needles
- IV, IO, IM
nicotinic receptors
- present in many tissues in the body
- function at the neuromuscular junctions of somatic muscles
- stimulation causes muscular contraction
muscarinic receptors
-found throughout the body as subcomponents of the CNS and ANS
administration effects absorption
- the speed with which the drug works is influenced by the route of administration
- IV or IO enter the blood stream the fastest
- the slowest absorption is topical
IV route
- most rapidly effective
- most dangerous route
- drugs go directly into the bloodstream and to the target organs
- known quantity over a known period
- dangerous because it delivers the entire dose at once
pharmacokinetics
the study of the metabolism and action of medications within the body with particular emphasis on the time required for absorption, duration of action, distribution, and method of excretion
active transport
specialized proteins that span the membrane of a cell facilitate the movement of the medication inside target tissues and cells
passive diffusion
medications move from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration
absorption
the transfer of medication from its site of administration to the specific target organs and tissues
