Exam 1 Flashcards
What is pharmacokinetics?
It is a branch that is based on the movement of drugs within the body
What is the 4 steps of pharmacology?
- Absorption
- Distribution
- Metabolism
- Elimination
What is absorption?
The route that the drug takes to enter the body
What is distribution?
It is the process of how the drug moves throughout the body
What is metabolism?
The breakdown of drugs
What is elimination?
The process that describes the elimination of drugs
What are the different routes of drug absorption?
- oral
- rectal
- inhalation
- snorting
- transdermal
- Injection
Which organ is mainly responsible for oral absorption?
Small intestine (some in stomach)
About ____ % of the drug is absorbed through the oral route.
75%
What are the 3 types of injection?
- Intravenous
- Intramuscular
- Subcutaneous
What is the main issue with intravenous?
There are no recalls. Since 100%of drug is absorbed, overdosing is a greater risk.
Which organ is responsible for the movement of blood?
The heart
How long does it take your body to circulate blood to and from the heart?
1-1.5 minutes
What is the main goal of the distribution process?
To eventually carry the drug into the brain
Our heart has __ sides and __ chambers
Our heart has 2 sides and 4 chambers
What carries blood AWAY from the heart?
Arteries
What carries blood TO the heart?
Veins
Which blood vessels are high in O2 but low in CO2?
Arteries
Which blood vessels are low in O2 but high in CO2?
Veins
How does our blood and heart function when we deal with deoxygenated blood?
The blood that is low in O2 enters the right side of our heart. It first passes through right atrium and then the right ventricle.
Which artery is responsible for taking deoxygenated blood to the lungs?
Pulmonary artery
What happens to deoxygenated blood at the lungs?
Sine lungs expel CO2, O2 is absorbed and oxygenated blood goes back to our heart.
How does our blood and heart function when we deal with oxygenated blood?
Blood that already went through the initial process and become oxygenated will pass through the left side of our heart. Here, it passes through the left atrium then the left ventricle and finally the blood is distributed to our body.
How does distribution work for the oral method?
When drugs are taken orally, it first has to lay in the small intestine and be absorbed into the bloodstream. After it is in the blood stream it will travel all the way to the heart and eventually, reach the brain
How does distribution work for the inhalation method?
Since the drug is directly inhaled into the lungs, it will only have to pass through the left side of the heart and straight to the brain. This is why it is the fastest.
How does distribution work for the intravenous method?
The drug is inserted into the veins, it will go directly through the circulatory system and reach the brain
How does distribution work for the intramuscular method?
The drug is inserted into muscles and will have to make its way to the bloodstream and finally the circulatory system.
How does blood get to your brain?
Through our carotid arteries. They originate at heart and make their way to the base of the brain
Which veins take drugs out of brain?
The Jugular veins
Except for ______________, every other route of absorption has proven that not 100% of drug enters body
intravenous
Which organ is responsible for the breakdown of a drug? What is the name of the process
The Liver, Hepatic breakdown
Hepatic breakdown is done by liver cells called?
Hepatocytes
What is the role of hepatocytes?
They transform the drug into a new chemical.
What is a metabolite?
The new chemical that was produced from hepatocytes
What is an active metabolite? What about inactive?
An active metabolite(s) can produce a high effect. A inactive metabolite(s) will produce no effects.
What do hepatocytes use to break down drugs?
Enzymes
What is the role of an enzyme?
They either break thing apart or put things together
What is the name of the enzymes used by hepatocytes?
P450 (break about 50% of drug)
How does genetic disorders relate to P450?
Some people that have genetic disorders will lack some or all of the P450 enzymes. They have a greater chance of overdosing because their bodies are not breaking drugs apart quickly.
What is half life?
Half life is a period of time that it takes your body to break the amount of drug you took in half.
When drugs are released from body they primarily come out through our _______.
urine
Which organ plays a role in urine analysis?
Kidneys
t/f Some drugs can be released through exhalation
true
What are the 2 main urine analysis tests?
SAMHSA-5 and NIDA-5
What are the 5 drugs that a test will usually pick up?
Cannabinoids, opiates, amphetamines, PCP and marijuana
What is the difference between urine test and hair follicle tests?
Urine Analysis is good for both recent and chronic use. Drugs can be detected within hours of use and continue being detected for days/weeks.
Hair follicle is only for chronic use. It takes 4-5 days to detect drugs and can continue detection for up to 90 days after use
What is part of the nervous system?
Central Nervous System and Peripheral Nervous System
What body parts are apart of the CNS?
brain and spinal cord
What body parts are apart of the PNS?
- nerves going from spinal cord to our body
- nerves from our body to the spinal cord
What are the systems within the PNS?
Somatic and autonomic nervous system
What is the Autonomic Nervous system responsible for?
Controls things that occur automatically in your body
What are the parts of the Autonomic Nervous System?
Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
What is the sympathetic system used for?
It stimulates fight or flight responses. (sometimes affected by drugs)
ex: cocaine, amphetamines, nicotine
What is the parasympathetic system used for?
Responsible for resting and digesting. It produces calm effects.
(slow respiration, heart rate)
What are the four lobes of the brain?
- Occipital
- Parietal
- Frontal
- Temporal
What is the purpose of the occipital lobe?
Responsible for vision
What is the purpose of the parietal lobe?
Responsible for spacial orientation (knowing where things are)
What is the purpose of the temporal lobe?
- auditory information
- sensory information
What are the sections part of the frontal lobe? What are they responsible for?
Orbitofrontal cortex: impulse control
Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex: executive function (planning, decision, problem solving)
What organs are associated with the Limbic System?
Amygdala and Hippocampus
What is the purpose of the amygdala?
Controls fear, aggression and emotions in general
What is the purpose of the Hippocampus?
It stores special events and memories from your life
What is the Basal Ganglia?
It controls voluntary, fine and gross movement
What is the role of the hypothalumus?
Its role is in basic regulatory functions (eating, drinking, sexual behavior)
What is the role of the thalamus?
Keeps all your motor signals organized and makes sure signals reach your brain.
What is the pituitary gland’s role?
It releases hormones throughout the body by sending signals to organs. This allows our brain to communicate to our vital organs.
What is reticular formation?
It helps wake up the cortex. It sends norepinephrine to cortex to stimulate it.
What is Substantia Nigra?
pigmented cells to produce dopamine.
What is the role of the periaqueductal gray?
It helps us manage pain
What two areas of the brain does reticular formation take over?
Mid and hind brain
What are the 2 areas in reticular formation?
Locus Coeruleus and Raphe Nucleus
What is the role of the pons and medulla working together?
To help breathing
What is the role of the cerebellum?
Balance and coordination
The spaces in our brain are called _________ and they are filled with _______.
ventricles, spinal fluid
What is the meninges?
The 3 protective layers between brain and skull
What is the blood brain barrier?
It is a barrier in capillaries that avoid the bad stuff from our blood, to get into our brain.
What is the purpose of the blood brain barrier?
To protect the brain and keep neurons alive.
What is a neuron?
They are a cell in the brain used to think, move, hear and see
What are the 4 components of a neuron?
- Dendrites
- Cell body
- Axon
- Terminal buttons
What is the purpose of the dendrite?
Receive information
What is the purpose of the cell body?
It helps build the things a neuron needs
What is the purpose of the axon?
It carries electrical signals
What is the axon surrounded by? What is it for?
An axon is surrounded by Myelin which is a fatty insolation that helps speed up electrical signals
What is the purpose of the terminal buttons?
It is to send information to another neuron’s dendrites
What is the action potential?
The name of the electrical signals that travels through axon
Where do most drugs interact at?
At the terminal button to dendrite connection
What is synapse AKA synaptic cleft?
The gap between two neurons (terminal button to dendrite)
How does the electrical signal travel through the synapse?
Our brain turns the electrical signals into chemical ones. Neurotransmitters are packaged inside of vesicles and when the action potential arrives, it causes the vesicles to release the neurotransmitters into the synapse to react with receptors
What enters the dendrite at synapse?
Ions
What excites a dendrite? what doesnt?
If positive ions come in, the dendrite is excited. If negative ions come in, the dendrite is less active.
What are the two processes for neurotransmitter deactivation?
Degrading enzymes and reuptake
What is the process of degrading enzymes?
Certain enzymes will breakdown neurotransmitters into new chemicals
What is the process of reuptake?
It will take neurotransmitters and recycle them by returning them to synapse.
What is the relationship between receptors and neurotransmitters?
Receptors are like the lock and neurotransmitters are the key. Certain neurotransmitters open certain receptors to allow ions to pass through.
What is a competitive drug binding site?
This occurs when a drug competes with a neurotransmitter for the same spot on a receptor
What is a non-competitive drug binding site?
This occurs when a drug has its own binding site on the receptor. No need for competition
How many places is Acetylcholine made? where is it released?
Made in 3 places, released everywhere
What enzyme synthesizes acetylcholine?
ChAT
What enzyme degrades acetylcholine?
AChE
Is acetylcholine excitatory or inhibitory?
both
How many place is Glutamate made?
Made all over the brain
Is glutamate excitatory or inhibitory?
Excitatory
How many places is GABA made?
made all over the brain
Is GABA excitatory or inhibitory?
inhibitory
How many places is dopamine made?
2 places
t/f glutamate can turn into GABA
true
What enzyme is dopamine made from?
tyrosine
How many places is Norepinephrine made?where is it released?
One place, released everywhere
Is dopamine excitatory or inhibitory?
Both
What degrades dopamine?
MAO and COMT
What degrades norepinephrine?
MAO and COMT
Is norepinephrine excitatory or inhibitory?
both
How many places is Serotonin made in? released?
One, released all over
Is serotonin excitatory or inhibitory?
excitatory
What breaks down Serotonin?
MAO and COMT
What makes a drug agonist?
Promoting synthesis
more neurotransmitters released
Block degrading/reuptake
Stimulate receptors activity
What makes a drug antagonist?
inhibits synthesis
blocks neurotransmitter release
stimulates degrading/reuptake
block receptor activity
What are the two types of drugs?
licit and illicit
What makes a drug illicit?
If a drug is absolutely banned or need a prescription to possess
What is a controlled substance?
Any illicit drug
What is schedule 1 drugs?
High potential for abuse, no accepted medical use
What is schedule 2 drugs?
High potential for abuse, some accepted medical use
What is schedule 3 drugs?
Some potential for abuse, some accepted medical use
What is schedule 4 drugs?
Low potential for abuse, accepted medical use
What is schedule 5 drugs?
minimal potential for abuse, widespread medical use
What is the difference between generic and brand drug names?
Generic: drugs official name (complex)
Brand: name assigned by a manufacturer
What are the 2 types of drug use?
Instrumental and Recreational
What is the difference between instrumental and recreational use?
Instrumental: A person is taking drugs with a specific socially approved goal in mind
Recreational: A person is taking a drug for the sole purpose of experiencing the high feeling
What is drug abuse?
Drug abuse occurs when there is physical, mental or social impairment
What is drug misuse?
Drug misuse is a behavior in which a prescription or non-prescription drug is used inappropriately
What is the difference between physical dependence and psychological dependence?
Physical dependence occurs when a drug is taken to avoid withdrawal symptoms
psychological dependence occurs when a drug is taken for pleasurable effects (after withdrawal period)
What are the 3 mechanisms for drug tolerance?
Metabolic, Pharmacodynamic, and behavioral
What is the metabolic mechanism for drug tolerance?
This occurs when the liver breaks down drugs faster as tolerance builds up
What is the pharmacodynamic mechanism for drug tolerance?
this occurs when our receptors become used to the drugs (so they become numb to it (less sensitive)
What is the behavioral mechanism for drug?
This occurs when we become conditioned to a context (location, situation, people)
What is acute toxicity?
the physical or psychological harm a drug might cause (either immediately after or soon after)
What is chronic toxicity?
The physical or psychological harm a drug may cause over a long period of time
What is effective dose?
The minimal dose necessary to produce the intended drug effect in a certain % of the population being studied
What is the lethal dose?
The minimal dose necessary to produce death in a certain % of the population being studied
What is additive interaction?
When 2 effects of drugs add equally together and have a stronger effect
ex: 5 + 5 = 10
What is hyperadditive interaction?
When the combined effect of drugs add unequally together and have a REALLY STRONG effect.
ex: 5+5 = 30
What is antagonistic interaction?
When the combined effects of drugs cancel each other out.
