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Pharmacology I > Fundamental Pharmacology Facts > Flashcards

Fundamental Pharmacology Facts Flashcards

1
Q

Drug

A
  • A drug is a chemical substance used for:
    > Preventing, treating, or diagnosing disease
    > Preventing pregnancy
    > Recreational or other forms of abuse
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2
Q

Pharmacology

A
  • The study of drugs

- Divided into pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics

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3
Q

Pharmacodynamics

A
  • What drugs do to the body

…
- Receptor Agonism or Receptor Antagonism
…

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4
Q

Pharmacokinetics

A
  • What the body does to drugs and how fast it does it
  • Administration
  • Absorption
  • Distribution
    …
  • Redistribution
  • Metabolism
  • Excretion
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5
Q

Pharmacotherapeutics

A
  • Treatment of disease by drugs
  • Most drugs are palliative
  • Some drugs are curative
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6
Q

Pharmacy

A
  • Profession responsible for dispensing drugs
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7
Q

Drugs that prevent

A
  • Vaccines
  • Anticoagulants
  • Antiseptics
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8
Q

Drugs that diagnose

A
  • Radiographic contrast media (eg barium)

- Mydriatics for dilating pupils in ophthalmic exams

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9
Q

Drugs that treat

A

Palliative

  • Nasal decongestants
  • Antihypertensives
  • Anxiolytics
  • Analgesics

Curative

  • Antibiotics
  • Antineoplastics
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10
Q

Common drug characteristics

A
  • Most drugs are organic compounds
  • Most drugs originated from natural substances
  • Most drugs have three names
    > Chemical name
    > Generic (official name)
    > Trade (proprietary name)
  • All drugs have side effects
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11
Q

Formulations

A
  • Large variety
  • Tablets
  • Capsules
  • Pills (antiquated!)
  • Pearls
  • Solutions
  • Suspensions
  • Ointments
  • Tinctures
  • Salves
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12
Q

Routes of administration

A 
- Enteral
     > Oral
     > Rectal
- Parenteral
     > Sublingual
     > Intramuscular
     > Intravenous
     > Subcutaneous
     > Intrathecal (injection straight into CSF)
     > Topical
     > Transdermal
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13
Q

Factors that affect drug absorption and distribution

A
  • Drug molecular size
  • Drug solubility
  • Conditions (blood flow; cell junctions; inflammation) at the sites of tissues to be penetrated by the drug
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14
Q

Agonists

A
  • Drugs that activate receptors
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15
Q

Antagonists

A
  • Drugs that block receptors
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16
Q

Potency

A
  • Dose required to produce minimum response

- “High potency” if it requires only a small amount to have an effect

17
Q

Efficacy

A
  • Maximum magnitude of response

- “High efficacy” if it will produce a large effect

18
Q

Margin of safety

A
  • Difference between toxic and effective dose
  • “High margin of safety” if the amount of drug that’s required to produce a desirable effect is much lower than the amount required to produce a toxic effect
  • Ideally want a high margin of safety
19
Q

Therapeutic index

A
  • Ratio of toxic and effective dose

- Ideally want a high therapeutic index

20
Q

Duration of action

A
  • Amount of time that the drug acts on the body
21
Q

Half-life

A
  • Time required for 1/2 of the drug to be eliminated from the body
22
Q

Redistribution

A
  • The drug is carried away from the site of action, usually by blood flow
  • Lymph and other ECF can also redistribute it
23
Q

Metabolism

A
  • The drug is modified to make it less active or more readily excreted
  • Liver is the main organ of drug metabolism
  • Also: lungs, GI tract, synapses, and blood stream
  • Phase I and Phase II metabolism
24
Q

Excretion

A
  • The drug (or its metabolite) is removed from the body
  • Kidney is the main organ of drug excretion
  • Also: lungs, liver, sweat, and saliva
25
Q

Phase I metabolism

A
  • Occurs in lipophilic endoplasmic reticulum of liver and other cells
  • REDOX reactions to polarize drug molecules
  • Rate-limiting reactions require CYP450 enzyme
  • Some drugs induce CYP450 activity, and some inhibit it
26
Q

Phase II metabolism

A
  • Couple drugs/metabolites with endogenous molecules
  • Catalyzed by transferase enzymes
  • Conjugating the drug makes it larger and more easily excretable
27
Q

Factors influencing duration of action and half-life

A
  • Metabolism
  • Metabolic tolerance
    > Tolerance occurs when efficacy decreases
    > Either metabolic or cellular tolerance
  • Excretion
  • Body fat
  • Age
28
Q

Federal laws

A
  • Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act passed in 1938
    > Defined drugs
    > Established FDA
    > Several amendments: creation of prescription drugs; standardized drug development process; distinguished between drugs and dietary supplments
  • Controlled Substances Act passed in 1970
    > Created 5 schedules
    > Enforcement by DEA
29
Q

Drug development

A
  • Monitored by FDA

- Very long and expensive process

Pharmacology I (4 decks)

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