EMT205 Key Terms Flashcards
*absorption
the process by which drug molecules are moved from the site of entry into the body into the general circulation
acetylcholine
a neurotransmitter, widely distributed in body tissues, with the primary function of mediating the synaptic activity of the nervous system
adrenergic
of or pertaining to the sympathetic nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system, which use epinephrine or epinephrine-like substances as neurotransmitters
*agonists
drugs that combine with receptors and initiate the expected response
alpha-adrenergic receptor
any one of the postulated adrenergic components of receptor tissues that responds to norepinephrine and to various blocking agents
*antagonists
agents designed to inhibit or counteract the effects of other drugs or undesired effects caused by normal or hyperactive physiological mechanisms
anticholinergic
of or pertaining to the blocking of acetylcholine receptors, resulting in inhibition of transmission of parasympathetic nerve impulses
beta-adrenergic receptor
any of the postulated adrenergic components of receptor tissues that respond to epinephrine and various blocking agents
*biological half-life
the time required to metabolize or eliminate half of the total amount of a drug in the body
biotransformation
the process by which a drug is converted chemically to metabolite
*blood-brain barrier
an anatomical-physiological feature of the brain thought to consist of walls of capillaries in the central nervous system and surrounding glial membranes; its function is to prevent or slow the passage of chemical compound from the blood into the central nervous system
*chemical name
the exact designation of a chemical structure as determined by the rules of chemical nomenclature (example: “1,2,3-Trinitroxypropane”)
This is almost never used to identify the drug in a clinical environment
cholinergic
of or pertaining to the effects produced by the parasympathetic nervous system or drugs that simulate or antagonize the parasympathetic nervous system
*contraindications
medical or physiological factors that make it harmful to administer a medication that would otherwise have a therapeutic effect
*controlled substances
any drug defined in the categories of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (aka the Controlled Substances Act) of 1970
Examples include: midazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, ketamine, morphine, fentanyl, codeine, and more
cumulative action
the effect that occurs when several doses of a drug are administered or when absorption occurs more quickly than removal by excretion or metabolism or both
distribution
the transport of a drug through the bloodstream to various tissues of the body and ultimately to its site of action
*drug interaction(s)
modification of the effects of one drug by the previous or concurrent administration of another drug, thereby increasing or diminishing the pharmacological or physiological action of one or both drugs (e.g. Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate should NEVER be mixed in the same IV line)
drug receptors
parts of a cell with which a drug molecule interacts to trigger its desired response or effect
*dystonia
a condition characterized by local or diffuse changes in muscle tone, resulting in painful muscle spasms, unusually fixed postures, and strange movement patterns
effective dose 50 (ED50)
the amount of drug that produces a therapeutic response in 50% of those who take it
*effector organ
a muscle or gland that responds to nerve impulses from the central nervous system
endorphin
any of several peptides secreted in the brain that have a pain-relieving effect like morphine
*excretion
the elimination of toxic or inactive metabolites, primarily by the kidneys; the intestines, lungs, and mammary, sweat, and salivary glands also may be involved
*first-pass metabolism
the initial biotransformation of a drug during passage through the liver from the portal vein that occurs before the drug reaches the general circulation
*generic name
the official, established name assigned to a drug (example: “nitroglycerin”)
idiopathic
arising from an obscure or unknown cause
idiosyncrasy
an abnormal or peculiar response to a drug
*loading dose
a large quantity of drug that temporarily exceeds the capacity of the body to excrete the drug
*maintenance dose
the amount of a drug required to keep a desired steady state of drug concentration in tissues
neurotransmitter
a chemical that is released from one neuron at the presynaptic nerve fiber
nonselective beta-blocking agents
agents that block beta(1)- and beta(2)-receptor sites
*official name
the name of a drug that is followed by the initials USP (United States Pharmacopeia) or NF (National Formulary), denoting its listing in one of the official publications; usually the same as the generic name (example: “Nitroglycerine Sublingual Tablets, USP”)
orphan drug
a medication that has been developed specifically to treat a rare medical condition
*parenteral
of or pertaining to any medication route other than the alimentary canal (aka gastrointestinal tract)
partial reabsorption
the reabsorption from the renal tubule by passive diffusion
*pharmaceutics
the science of dispensing drugs
*pharmacodynamics
the study of how a drug acts on a living organism
*pharmacokinetics
the study of how the body handles a drug over a period of time, including the processes of absorption, distribution, biotransformation, and excretion
placebo
an inactive substance or a less than effective dose of a harmless substance; it is used in experimental drug studies to compare the effects of the inactive substance with those of the experimental drug
*placental barrier
a protective biological membrane that separates the blood vessels of the mother and the fetus
potentiation
enhancement of the effect of a drug, caused by concurrent administration of two drugs in which one drug increases the effect of the other
selective beta-blocking agents
agents block beta(1) or beta(2) receptors
summation
the combined effects of two drugs that equal the sum of the individual effects of each agents
synergism
the combined action of two drugs that is greater than the sum of each agent acting independently
*tardive dyskinesia
a potentially irreversible neurological disorder characterized by involuntary repetitious movements of the muscles of the face, limbs, and trunk
*therapeutic action
the desired, intended action of a drug
*therapeutic index (TI)
a measurement of the relative safety of a drug
therapeutic range
the range of plasma concentrations that is most likely to produce the desired drug effect with the least likelihood of toxicity; the range between minimal effective concentration and toxic level
*tolerance
a physiological response that requires that a drug dosage by increased to produce the same effect formerly produced by a smaller dose
*trade name
the trademark name of a drug, designated by the drug company that sells the medication (example: Nitrostat)
