General Pharmacology Flashcards
Medication EMT’s may administer
- Aspirin
- Glucose
- Oxygen
- Activated Charcoal
- Bronchodilator Inhaler
- Nitroglycerin
- Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
Prescribed Bronchodilator Inhalers
- Used in patients with asthma, emphysema, and chronic bronchitis
- Enlarges constricted breathing tubes
- Side effects: increased heart rate, patient jitteriness
Prescribed Nitroglycerin
• Taken by patients with history of chest
pain of cardiac origin
• Helps dilate coronary vessels
• Contraindications: low blood pressure or taking medications for erectile dysfunction (Viagra, Levitra, Cialis, or similar)
• Vasodilator
• Side effect: dropping blood pressure
Prescribed Epinephrine Auto-Injectors
- Prescribed and used for patients with severe allergic reactions classified as anaphylaxis
- Vasoconstrictor; relaxes smooth muscles and airway passages
- Side effects: increased heart rate and blood pressure
Drug Names
• Each drug is listed by a generic name
• Each drug has at least three names – Chemical name
– Generic name
– Brand name (one or more trade names given to the drug by manufacturers)
What You Need to Know When Giving a Medication
- Indications
- Contraindications
- Side effects
- Untoward effects
Medication Safety and Clinical Judgment
- Administering or assisting with medications is a serious responsibility
- Know the medication
- Use good judgment
Medication Authorization
• Off-line medical direction
– Do not speak to physician
– Use standing orders
• On-line medical direction
– Speak directly to physician
– Listen to order; then repeat order back
– Ask for clarification if necessary
The Five Right - ptdmr
- Do I have the right patient?
- Is it the right time to administer this medication?
- Is this the right medication?
- Is this the right dose?
- Am I giving this medication by the right route of administration?
pt time med dose route
ptmdr
Routes of Administration
- Oral (swallowed)
- Sublingual (dissolved under tongue)
- Inhaled (breathed into lungs), usually as tiny aerosol particles such as from an inhaler or as a gas such as oxygen
- Intravenous (injected into vein)
- Intramuscular (injected into muscle)
- Subcutaneous (injected under skin)
- Intraosseous (injected into bone marrow cavity)
- Endotracheal (sprayed directly into tube inserted into trachea)
Age- and Weight-Related Considerationa
• Pharmacodynamics
– Study of effects of medications on body
– What effect will medication have on this patient?
– Patient-specific factors change how medication works
Reassessment and Documentation
- After administering medication, reassess patient
* Clearly document medications administered
Ways of Administering IV Fluids
• Heparin (saline) lock
– Catheter placed into vein
– Cap (lock) placed over end of catheter
– Lock has port for administering medications
• Traditional IV bag
– Hangs above patient
– Constantly flows fluids and medications into patient
IV Fluid Administration
• Clear plastic tubing connecting fluid bag to
needle or catheter
• Three important parts
– Drip chamber
– Flow regulator
– Drug or needle port
• Extension set (extra tubing)
Maintaining an IV
• Troubleshoot flow problems – Constricting bands left in place by mistake – Flow regulator left closed – Clamp closed on tubing – Tubing kinked – Line pinched under backboard (trauma)
- Adjust flow rate properly
- Monitor IV sites for infiltration
