Exam 1: Flashcards
What are the phases of pharmacokinetics?
Absorption: movement of the drug from site of administration to various tissues of the body.
Distribution: movement of drug by circulatory system to intended site of action.
Metabolism: the change that occurs in a drug into a more or less potent form of the drug, more soluble form, or inactive form.
Excretion: the elimination of a drug or metabolite through urine, feces, sweat or the lungs.
What should be considered when educating a patient about a medication?
Age related; Education level: Disabilities: Language: Barriers to learning Cognitive ability coping mechanism cultural background finance, folk medicine, alternative medicine.
How do the steps of the nursing process apply to administering drugs?
Assess: Is this medication appropriate for the patient? Does the patient have the appropriate vital signs? Is the dose correct? Health literacy?
Diagnose: Deficient knowledge, fall risk, ineffective health management.
Plan: Measurable, realistic, based on patients needs, stated in patient terms, time frame.
Implement/Intervention:
Evaluation: does the drug have the intended effect?
What are the differences in absorption rates between PO, IV, SubQ?
PO: rates in order from fastest to slowest: liquid, suspension, powder, capsule, tab, coated tab, EC tab.
IV: rapid, within minutes.
IM: Fast, into blood supply
SubQ: slower, not as vascularized, can be sped up if the medication is water soluble and good circulation.
Define first pass effect
What reaches the body is less than what was given, The liver metabolizes the first dose of the drug very well, usually leading to needing a higher first dose than sub sequential doses.
define half-life and how this effects how long a medication hangs around in the body?
Half life: the time it takes for a drug to decrease by half in the body.
this can also be determined by the half life of each medication, some being longer or shorter than others.
how does the formulation of a drug effect its absorption? (liquid vs tablet, etc)
Liquid can be digested immediately. Tablets tend to have a coating that leads to being broken down later in digestion or takes longer to release medication.
What is the difference between peak and trough? What are the nurses responsibilities with these drug levels?
Peak: amount of time for full therapeutic effect.
Trough: Lowest amount of medication in the body.
Nurse monitors peak and trough to avoid toxicity, and manage a level that is within these limits for therapeutic effect to be present.
Definition of pregnancy safety categories
A: failed to demonstrate risk to fetus in 1st trimester
B: animal studies have failed to show risk
C: animal studies show adverse on fetus, but some benefits may outweigh
D: positive evidence of fetal risk
X: studies have shown fetal abnormalities
Define polypharmacy
A person who is on many different medications.
Controlled Substances Categories and definitions:
1: high potential for use. no federally accepted medical use.
2: high potential for abuse. have accepted medical use.
3: less potential for abuse. Currently accepted
4: low potential for abuse. used for treatment.
5: low potential for abuse. used in medicine.
What are the rights of medication administration?
Right: Patient, Medication, Dose, Time, Route, Documentation
What are the general precautions with OTC medications?
toxicity, interactions with other drugs, safety with pregnancy, improper dosing.
What are the general side effects of antihypertensive drugs to teach patients?
hypotension, orthostatic hypotension, alteration in heart rate, dizziness, drowsiness, HA, nausea, diarrhea, impotence, urinary frequency, tinnitus, dry mouth.
What special considerations are with the elderly and antihypertensives?
increased risk for hypotension and electrolyte disturbances
What are beta blockers used for?
(lol medications)
decrease the effects of the sympathetic nervous system by blocking the action of epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Decrease heart rate and decrease blood pressure.
Hypertension, angina, post MI, CHF, and migraines
What patient education for beta blockers?
Get up slowly, do not stop the medication abruptly, check blood pressure and heart rate before taking, Be careful in diabetics because it can mask hypoglycemia. side effects of hypoglycemia. and all side effects. (n.v, drowsiness, fainting, weakness, diarrhea, cool extremities)
What contraindications for beta blockers?
Sinus bradycardia, heart block greater than 1st degree, heart failure.
