intro to pharmacology and therapeutics Flashcards
5 factors needed for prescribing
medicine, dose, route, frequency, duration
what is pharmacodynamics
the study of biochemical and physiological effects of drugs on the body
‘what the body does to the drug’
4 types of receptors
channel linked receptors
G protein coupled receptors
Enzyme-linked receptors
nuclear receptors (intracellular receptors)
different targets of drug action
receptors, ion channels, enzymes, transporters
4 drugs related to treatment of hypertension
atenolol - blocks response to noradrenaline
ramipril - prevents formation of vasoconstrictors
amlodipine - blocks calcium channels (important in vasoconstriction)
bendroflumethiazide - acts in kidneys reducing reabsorption of sodium
drug dose response curve?
work out maximum response - Emax
ED50 (effective dose 50) - produces 50% of Emax
what is therapeutic index?
gap between beneficial effects and adverse effects - difference between doses
competitive vs non competitive antagonsists
competitive - block receptors
non-competitive - interfere with signal transduction mechanism
what effects do antagonists have on dose response curves
increased dose for same effect - shift to right
what is efficacy
the extent to which a drug can have its effect (greater Emax - high efficacy)
what is potency
amount of drug required to have a specific effect (lower dose for same effect would have high potency)
what is selectivity
receptors slightly different in different areas- different areas more or less likely to respond to same drug dosage
desensitisation
response tails off over time
gradual desensitisation over longer period of time?
tolerance
rapid desensitisation over short period of time
tachyphylaxis
causes of desensitisation - pharmocodynamic
reduction in receptor number
changes in receptor structure or function
exhaustion of mediators
physiological adaption
reduced drug response other than pharmocodynamic reasons
altered physiology (eg gained weight)
disease progression
drug interactions
reduced adherence (bad drug giving by patients)
pharmacokinetics?
what a drug does to the body
what are the four stages of drug handling
absorption
distribution
metabolism
excretion
how is pharmacokinetic handling of a drug influenced
physiological factors - age, sex, body, height
external factors - food, other drugs