Integumentary system medications Flashcards
Integumentary system:
- skin is the most important barrier to infection
- protects the body
- regulates temperature
- prevents water loss
Skin conditions that require medications include:
- infections
- allergies
- trauma
4 main groups of drugs for the skin include:
- Corticosteroids
- Antiseptics
- Antifungals
- Other miscellaneous preparations
Formulations for the skin:
Antipruritic - relieve allergies and itching
- solutions, lotions or baths
Antiseptics - reduce microbial flora
Astringents - cause vasoconstriction and reduce cell permeability.
Baths and soaks - cleanse or medicate skin
- usually moistening and soothing effect
Cleansers - soap free cleansers for sensitive, dry and irritated skin
Creams & ointments - emollient and protective
Emollients - fatty or oily substance, soften or sooth skin
Gels - viscous non-oily water-miscible preparation containing gelling agent and has a cooling effect
Glues - used to close short clean wounds
Liniments and rubs - relieve muscle pain, dilates skin blood vessels and may include analgesic
Lotions and solutions - liquid preparations, wet dressing soaks, mild acidic or alkaline
Moisturisers - retain water in the skin, relieve dry skin and are similar to emollients
CONT formulations:
Pastes - thick mixtures of solids in cream or ointment base
Patches - transdermal patch that delivers drugs to skin at specified rate
Powders - fine drugs in dry form
Protectants - soothing, cooling preparation
Sprays - fine mist or aerosol drugs in solution - nasal sprays
Tars - treatment of eczema, psoriasis and dandruff, coal or wood tar
Tinctures - paint or pray, alcohol evaporates leaving ingredients on skin
Wet dressing - moist dressing impregnated with antiseptic or other preparations to enhance wound healing
Zinc oxide - often used as sunscreen, used for mild inflammatory conditions
Corticosteroids are:
- for topical use in a variety of dermatologic disorders and skin conditions
- eczema, psoriasis
- reactions to insect bites and sunburn
- this steroid should not be used where indication of bacterial or fungal infection
- Adverse effects - skin atrophy, burning, dryness, itching, not advised during pregnancy
Corticosteroids continued:
- available in mild, intermediate and strong concentrations
Example from higher to lower potency: - Betamethasone dipropionate
- Methylprednisolone
- Desonide
- Hydrocortisone
- available in creams, ointments, sprays, gels
Antiseptics are:
- used to kill or inhibit microbes and infective agents on the skin and work on the outside of the body
- Examples - Chlorhexidine, Hydrogen peroxide, Iodine compounds, Alcohol
Antiseptics are used for:
- cleaning and treating wounds
- pre and post operative to prevent infection
- stoma and catheter sites
- swabbing prior to injections
Antifungals are:
- used to treat fungal skin infections
- Examples - clotrimazole, terbinafine, amorolfine
- adverse effects are generally mild, stinging, local irritation
Other topical preparations are:
Antibacterial agents - used to treat skin infections such as
- folliculitis, impetigo
- acne
- burns
- may be formulated with a corticosteroid for treatment of inflammation
Keratolytic are:
- used to treat warts especially in immunocompromised patients
- examples - podophyllotoxin, glutaraldehyde
Retinoids are:
- used for treatment of acne and other disorders
- examples include adapalene (differin), tretinoin etc.
-topical retinoids available in gels (oily skin) and creams (dry skin)
