Exam I Flashcards
Schedule I Controlled Substances
high potential for abuse
heroine
Schedule II Controlled Substances
high potential for abuse
physical and psychological dependency
oxycodone, hydrocodone, hydromorphone
Schedule III Controlled Substances
some potential for abuse
limited psychological and physical dependency
up to 5 renewals in 6 months
testosterone
Schedule IV Controlled Substances
low potential for abuse
limited psychological and physical dependency
alprazolam, phentermine, tramadol
Schedule V Controlled Substances
subject to state/local regulation
may be sold Rx or OTC in some states
pregabalin
Pregnancy Category A
no risk to fetus in first trimester
no evidence of risk in later trimesters
Pregnancy Category B
no risk to fetus in animal studies, but no well-controlled studies in pregnant women
Pregnancy Category C
adverse effects on fetus in animal studies, but no well-controlled studies in pregnant women
benefits may outweigh risks
Pregnancy Category D
positive human fetal risk has been reported
considering potential benefit versus risks may, in some select cases, warrant the use of these drugs in pregnant women
Pregnancy Category X
fetal abnormalities were reported, and positive evidence of fetal risk in humans is available from animal or human studies
risks clearly outweigh the benefits
drugs should not be used in pregnant women
Recommendations for Writing Prescriptions
legible; verbal orders should be minimized
include purpose when appropriate
use metric system except for therapies that use standard units, in which case write out units
oral doses should be expressed with metric weight or volume and always include concentration or mg dose when using mL
include patient age and weight when appropriate
include drug name, exact metric weight or concentration, and dosage form
a leading zero should always be used before a decimal and a terminal zero should never be used after a decimal
avoid abbreviations
Report Medication Errors to:
FDA: MedWatch
Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP)
Medication Errors Reporting (MER) Program/ US Pharmacopeia
US/MEDMARX (anonymous)
Pharmacodynamics
what drugs do to the body
mechanism of action
biochemical/physiologic effects
Pharmacokinetics
what the body does to the drugs
absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, half life
Pharmacology
the study of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics
Drug
any substance that is used for diagnosis, cure, treatment, or prevention of disease/condition
Drug Receptors
bind to a drug molecule (with high affinity) and send (transduce) a signal/do something
not all drug receptors do something
what happens depends on the drug molecule
Affinity
strength of the binding between a drug and its receptor
what gets the drug bound to the receptor
Efficacy
ability of a drug to initiate max biological effect/stimulate receptor to produce pharmacological response
dictates what happens to the drug
Potency
measure of the ability of a set dose of an agonist or antagonist to produce its maximum pharmacological effect
used to compare drugs
ex. 10 mg Drug A = 5 mg Drug B
Quantity
amount of drug that reaches the receptor
may lose drug to first pass metabolism, can’t reach drug receptor site, etc.
Agonist
resembles naturally occurring hormone, neurotransmitter, or enzyme
bind and activate the receptor
act longer than the natural substances that they mimic
What are the two types of Agonists?
Full Agonist - acts with max effect
Partial Agonist - acts with less than max effect
Antagonist
bind to receptor and block the action of an endogenous agonist