Final: Principles of Pharmacology Flashcards
Drug
Any chemical that can affect a living process
Pharmacology
The study of drugs and their interactions with living systems
Clinical pharmacology
The study of drugs in humans
Therapeutics (pharmacotherapeutics)
The use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or to prevent pregnancy
What are the three characteristics of drugs?
Effectiveness: Does it cause the response for which it is given
Safety: There is no such thing as a safe drug
Selectivity: Causes only the response for which it is given, no such thing as a truly selective drug
What is the goal of drug therapy?
To provide maximum benefit with minimum harm
What is the nurse’s role in pharmacology?
Nurse is the last line of defense against medication errors
Evaluation of response
Education/safety
What are the 10 rights of medication administration?
Right client
Right medication
Right dose
Right time
Right route
Right documentation
Right client education
Right to refuse
Right assessment
Right evaluation
What is included in patient education?
Drug name
Dosage and administration
Duration of use
Storage
What results to expect
When to expect therapeutic effects
Minimizing adverse affects and interactions
Who to contact about questions or adverse reactions
1962 Harris-Kefauver Amendments
In response to the Thalidomide tragedy in Europe
Pregnant women took Thalidomide as a sedative and infants were born with malformations of arms and legs
Drugs had to be proved effective and offer some benefit before marketing
1970 Controlled Substances Act
Regulates drugs with potential for abuse
Schedule I = Absolute highest abuse potential and no medical use (heroin)
Schedule II-V have accepted medical uses but potential abuse
Schedule II has the highest abuse potential (Morphine) and V has the least
