Introduction Flashcards
Pharmacology
study ofthe interactions of chemical substances (drugs) w/ living cells, tissues, and organisms.
Drug
any substance that when administered to a huan or animal produces a change in function and is used to diagnose or treat a disease.
Pharmacokinetics
the process of drug absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Pharmacodynamics
the action of durgs on target organs.
What is the goal of pharmacology?
To understand the mechanisms by which drugs interact w/ biologic systems to enable the rational use of effective agents in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
Toxicology
Science of poisons and toxicity; harmful effects of drugs and chemicals and the mechanism of action that produce pathologic changes, disease, and death.
Pharmacotherapeutics
the use of drugs in treating disease; clinical trials determine the efficacy and safety of drug therapy in humans.
Pharmagenomics/pharmacogenetics
deals w/ the influence of genetic variation on drug response in patients by correlating gene expression or singe-nucleotide polymorphisms w/ a drug’s efficacy or toxicity.
Develop means to optimize drug therapy, w/ respect to the patient’s genotype
Maximum efficacy w/ minimal adverse effects
“personalize medicine”in which drugs and drug combinations are optimized for each individual’s unique genetic makeup.
Where do drugs come from?
Plants, microbes, animals, and minerals.
What are some plant sources of drugs?
analgesic, morphine, from poppy seeds
What are some microbe sources of drugs?
antibiotics
What are some animal sources of drugs?
hormones
Semisynthetic
synthesize and modify natural occurring compoiunds (structure-activity relationship)
What are some inert ingredients of tablets?
fillers, lubricants, adhesives, disintegrants.
What are 2 features of tablets?
1) Must disintegrate.
2) Dissolve before absorbed.
What is a major feature of enteric coated tablets?
They consist of polymers that won’t break down in stomach (low pH) but will break down in the intestine (higher pH).
Sometimes don’t work as fast, bypasses the stomach and gets absorbed into the intestine. Therefore, it reduces some stomach problems.
What are enteric coated tablets used for?
To protect drugs that would be destroyed by gastric acids or have an irritant effect on the stomach.
Also to slow release and absorption when a large dose is given at one time.
What is a sustained-release or extended-release product?
Releases the drug over many hours.
How are the mechanisms of sustained/extended release accomplished?
1) Controlled diffusion (regulated by rate-controlling membrane)
2) Controlled dissolution (regulated by inert polymers)
3) Osmotic pressure.
What are the 2 mechanisms of sustained release?
1) Water attracted by osmotic agent.
2) Forces drug out through small orifice (the pill has little holes)
What are elixirs?
Sweetened aqueous-alcohol solutions. If the drug does not dissolve in water alone, alcohol is added.
What are sterile solutions and suspensions beneficial for?
Parenteral administration; they can last longer so they can be administered to schizophrenia patients who are not very compliant.
What’s a downfall of sterile solutions and suspensions
They are less convinient than solid dosage forms.
What is the chemical name of a drug?
It specifies the chemical structure of the drug.
What is the nonproprietary (generic) name of a drug?
“official” name of the drug (United States adopted names)
More suitable for use by health care professionals.
What is the proprietary name of a drug?
Trade name or brand name; registered trademark of a pharmaceutical company.
What is meant by “therapeutic equivalent?”
indicates the generic formulation is bioequivalent to the brand formulation and can be expected to have “same clinical effect and no difference in their potential for adverse effects.”
What is bioequivalence?
2 pharmaceutical products that are pharmaceutical equivalent and have similar bioavailability.
What is pharmaceutical equivalence?
Same amount of active drug in same dosage form for the same route of administration.
Aerosols
used by inhalation through nose or mouth.
What are aerosols used for?
- used by inhalation through the nose or mouth.
- used for respiratory disorders
What are some benefits when using aerosols?
- Delivers directly to the site.
- Minimizes systemic side effects.
What can nasal sprays do?
The drug can be absorbed through mucosa and exert an effect on another organ.
Why are transdermal patches usually taken off befor an MRI?
They cotain aluminum/metals and they can overheat during an MRI scan causing burns
What are some of the benefits of using transdermal patches?
- Provides a continuous rate over extended periods.
- Suitable for drugs that are effective at low dosages and are lipid soluble.
How fast do transdermal patch drugs absorb?
the drug is released slowly into circulation; it’s more for chronic treatment so you wouldn’t use a patch for acute pain.
What is the mechanis of transdermal patches?
1) Drug diffuses through rate-controlling membrane.
2) Absorbed through skin into the circulation.
What are 3 types of suppositories?
Rectal, vaginal, urethral
What are suppositories good for?
Localized and systemic effects.
What are some features of rectal suppositories?
- Absorption is often irregular and incomplete.
- Drugs absorbed from rectum undergo little first-pass metabolism in the liver compared to the oral route.
- Useful or a patient who has N&V
Enteral route
drug is absorbed from the GI
Sublingual
drug is put under the tongue and is absorbed into the systemic system.
Buccal
Absrobes through the mucosa cells in the cheeks.
What do sublingual and buccal routes of administration have in common?
They bypass the stomach so it doesn’t actually get into the GI tract. It’s absorbed topically NOT ENTERAL
What can the absorption of oral preparations vary due to?
- Gastric acid
- Interaction w/ food.
- Varying rates of gastric emptying and transmit time.
- 5-<100% bioavailability.
Parenteral Route
Introduction of a substance into the body via a route other than the mouth.
Intravenous (IV)
Directly into the circulation (vein), bypases the process of drug absorption; potentially the most dangerous (once you put it in, it’s very hard to take out)
Intramuscular (IM)
Delivered into muscle (deltoid or gluteal); suitable for solutions and suspensions; suspensions extend duration of action.
Subcutaneous (SC)
under the skin
Intrathecal
Delivered into the theca of the spinal cord into subarachnoid space.
Intra-articular
delivered into joint
What is the difference between intrathecal and epidural?
Intrathecal - delivered into subarachnoid space
Epidural - delivered into epidural space
Transdermal
application of drugs to skin for absorption into circulation.
