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Pharmacology 1 > drug administeration and calculations > Flashcards

drug administeration and calculations Flashcards

1
Q

name the types of oral medicines that are avaliable

A
  1. tablet (orodispersible, effervescent, dispersible)
  2. capsules
  3. elixirs & syrups
  4. emulsions
  5. linctus
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2
Q

name two oral routed other than swallowing

A
  1. sublingual
  2. buccal
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3
Q

what are the pros to using tablets?

A
  • convient
  • accurate dose
  • formulation can be adjusted (enteric-coating / sustained release)
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4
Q

what are the cautions associated with tablets?

A
  • must not be bitten / chewed
  • must not be broken to divide dose
  • ensure patient takes dose
  • fluid drug taken with (eg.milk)
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5
Q

what are capsules? and what are they useful for?

A
  • oval-shaped and coated with hard gelatin coat
  • useful for bitter drugs (eg.antibiotics)
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6
Q

what are the drawbacks and cautions assicated with capsules?

A
  • can be large as powder not compacted
  • same cautons as tablets
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7
Q

what is meant by the sublingual route and why would this route be used?

A
  • drug absorbed through mucosa under tongue → rapid absorption
  • aviods 1st pass metabolism
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8
Q

what forms can sublingual medication take?

A
  • sprays
  • tablets
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9
Q

what is meant by the buccal route and why would this route be used?

A
  • usually tablet placed between lip & gum or cheek & gum
  • rapidly absorbed
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10
Q

when would the buccal route be useful, give an example and what are the drawbacks?

A
  • useful for antiemetics (eg. prochlorperazine and long lasting GTN)
  • increases dental cavities
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11
Q

what is a compound medicine and how would this be indicated?

A
  • 2 or more medicines in the same tablet
  • indicated by ‘co’
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12
Q

how would compound drugs be calculated?

A
  • no alternative calculation just give number of tablets prescribed
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13
Q

what are elixirs and syrups?

A

liquid medications which are flavoured and sweetened (caution with diabetic patients / alcohol dependent patient - elixir has alcohol base)

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14
Q

what is an emulsion?

A

a liquid medication which is a mxture of 2 liquids - one dispersed throughout the other

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15
Q

what cautions are associated with emulsions?

A
  • must be shaken weel before use - danger of liquids seperating
  • potential inaccuracy
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16
Q

give an example of an emulsion

A
  • oral nutritional supplements
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17
Q

what is a linctus?

A

liquid medication - sweet syrupy preparations

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18
Q

what might be given as a linctus and what are the cautions?

A
  • cough medicine
  • bottle gets sticky - dosage difficult to measure
19
Q

what are the general points which should be considered when administering liquid medication?

A
  • shake / agitate before dispensing
  • pour liquid away from label
  • measure at eye level
  • dose <5ml use syringe
  • always use syringe for infants / children
20
Q

what information about the drug should be found on the label?

A
  1. clear, legible, comprehensive & in English
  2. name of product
  3. formulation (tablet/capsule/suppository)
  4. strength (eg. 5mg/150ml)
  5. quantity (eg. 48 tablets)
  6. info about excipients
  7. storage info
  8. method & route of admin
  9. expiry date
  10. batch ref number
  11. special warnings
  12. instructions for self use
  13. special precautions for disposal
  14. marketing authorisation
21
Q

how should drugs be stored?

A
  • original packaging
  • locked cupboard / trolley / patient bedside
  • locked refridgerator (2-8°c)
  • room temp away from direct sunlight
22
Q

explain the general principles of drug administration regarding documentation

A
  • prescribing & recording sheet: patient bedside or document trolley
23
Q

explain the general principles of the nurse/patient interaction regarding drug administration

A
  • identification of patient
  • explaination given to patient
  • try to avoid interuptions
24
Q

explain the general principles regarding the technique of drug administration

A
  • wash hands
  • patient in upright position (ideally)
  • patient takes meds themselves (if poss.)
  • witness med’s being taken
  • record on fluid balance sheet (if nec.)
  • retain any rejected med’s
25
Q

explain the hazards associated with giving medication

A
  • med’s to wrong patient
  • interupptions leading to errors
  • med’s given earlier/leter than appropiate
  • missappropriation of drugs from unattended trolley
  • route - irritation of GI tract / aspiration
26
Q

what is the formula for calculating tablet dosages?

A

what you need = number of tablets required

what you have

27
Q

what is the general rule of complex drug calculations?

A

must convert the dosage to the same SI unit before doing calculation

28
Q

list tablet dosages from large to small and explain how you would convert from small to large and vice versa

A
  • kilograms
  • grams
  • milligrams
  • micrograms
  • nanograms

* to get from smaller to larger ÷ by 1000

* to get from larger to smaller x by 1000

29
Q

what is the formaula for calculating liquid dosages?

A

What you need x strength available = volume of liquid

What you have

30
Q

how are some drugs prescribed - especially for children?

A

dose per weight basis or body surface area (m2)

31
Q

to how many decimal places would you round when calculating dosages for injection which are more than 1ml?

A
  • if drug calculation is more than 1ml ‘round up or ‘round down’ to one decimal place
  • eg. answer 1.63ml - round down to 1.6ml
  • answer 1.87 - round up to 1.9ml
32
Q

if a drug calculation for injection was less than 1ml to how many decimal places would you round?

A

less than 1ml you would ‘round up’ answer to two decimal places - a 1ml syringe should be used

  • eg. answer 0.66666ml - round up to 0.67ml
33
Q

what should match the number of decimal places of the dosage calculation for injection?

A

the graduations on the syringe

34
Q

list different types of syringes and the graduations they are subdivided into

A
  • 1ml syringe = 0.1ml (subdivided 0.01ml)
  • 2ml syringe = 0.5ml (0.1ml gradulations)
  • 5ml syringe = 1ml (0.2ml graduations)
  • 10ml syringe = 1ml (0.5ml gradulations
35
Q

what can be expressed as a %?

A
  • weight / volume (w/v) - eg. 15mg / 1ml
    0. 9% saline (0.9g NaCl/ 100ml)
  • weight / weight (w/w) - 0.5% hydrocortisone (0.5g hydrocortisone / 100g cream)
  • volume / volume (v/v) - rare
36
Q

what do you need to know when calculating strength expressed weight/weight?

A
  • solution: always part of 100
  • weight is always in grams per 100g
  • eg 0.5% hydrocortisone (0.5g hydrocortisone / 100g cream
37
Q

what do you need to know when calculating strength volume / volume?

A
  • solution: always part of 100
  • volume always in ml to volume 100ml
  • eg. 2% v/v hydrogen peroxide = 2ml hydrogen peroxide in 10ml of finished solution
38
Q

what do you need to know when calculating strengths weight / volume?

A
  • solution: always part of 100
  • weight is always in grams / volume per 100ml
  • eg. 15mg/1ml = 0.9% saline (0.9g NaCl / 100ml
39
Q

what are units of activity?

A

some medicine obtained from natural sources are expressed in units of activty

40
Q

give 3 examples of antibiotics which are expressed as units of activity

A
  1. bleomycin
  2. colistin
  3. nystatin
41
Q

give 5 examples of hormones which are expressed as units of activity

A
  1. calcitonin
  2. gonadatropins
  3. insulin
  4. oxytocin
  5. vasopressin
42
Q

give 3 examples of immunological products which are expressed as units of activity

A
  1. immunoglobuilns
  2. interferons
  3. antisera
43
Q

give 2 examples of vitamins which are expressed as units of activity

A
  1. vitamin A
  2. vitamin D
44
Q

give 3 examples of other drugs which are expressed as units of activity

A
  1. domase alfa
  2. epoetin alfa
  3. heparin

Pharmacology 1 (11 decks)

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