Introduction to Pharmacological Principles Flashcards
Functional Definition of a Drug
a chemical substance that produces a biological response
sources:
- small organic molecules
- proteins synthesized by bacteria, yeast, or mammalian cells
Legal Definition of a Drug
articles intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of disease in man or other animals
- articles (other than food) intended to affect the structure or any function of the body of man or other animals
Pharmacology
study of drugs and their interactions w/living systems
- the info used in decision making for drug use for pts comes from this
- focuses on chemical properties of a drug and its effects
a. biochemical effects: at the cellular level
b. physiologic effects: effects on body
*looks at therapeutic effects and adverse effects on body
Pharmacotherapy
the use of drugs to diagnose, prevent and treat disease
- what happens in clinical practice
- includes looking at four main things w/drugs:
1. Indication
2. Effectiveness
3. Safety
4. Convenience
Pharmacotherapy Indication (I)
why was this drug prescribed?
is it actually needed?
- if drug isn’t necessary, then should not be prescribed. asking this is important to assess in pts, especially those taking many drugs
Pharmacotherapy Effectiveness (E)
is it working?
is there a better option?
- looking at all drug options for a condition is important especially if pt is experiencing side effects or wants to return to a certain level after illness
Pharmacotherapy Safety (S)
are there adverse effects?
drug interactions?
what’s the therapeutic index?
- if drug is being prescribed at unsafe levels, can it be brought down? what are other options? good to know so that other options can be explored if drug is not safe
Pharmacotherapy Convenience (C)
does it work with the pt’s lifestyle?
is the pt willing to take it?
can the pt afford it?
- if pt cannot afford the drug or it doesn’t work with their lifestyle, then other options need to be looked at to ensure pt comfortability
Drug Safety in law
In the United States, new drugs weren’t regulated to be safe until 1940!! Before then, new drugs did not have to be proven to be safe to be on the market
Drug Classifications
- Therapeutic Category (“class”)
- Chemical Structure
- SubClass
- Target
- Generation
- Legal Restriction
Therapeutic Category Classification
also known as the class of a drug, based on what it is treating
- ex: antimicrobials
Chemical Structure Classification
based on the structure-activity relationship of a drug
- ex: Beta-lactams
Subclass Classification
further refinement of a specific category of drugs
- ex: cephalosporins (have SO MANY categories)
Target Classification
looks at the molecular mechanism that the drug is targeting
- ex: direct serine protease inhibitor
Generation Classification
when the drug was developed
- ex: 1-5 cephalosporins
Legal Restriction Classification
drugs are classified legally in “schedules” as to how dangerous they are:
1. Schedule I
2. Schedule II
3. Schedule III
4. Schedule IV
5. Schedule V
6. Legend Drug
7. OTC Drugs
Schedule I Drugs
no accepted medical use with high potential for abuse
Schedule II Drugs
high potential for abuse and psychological or physical dependence
Schedule III Drugs
moderate-low potential for abuse/dependence
Schedule IV Drugs
low potential for abuse/dependence
Schedule V Drugs
lower potential for abuse/dependence than schedule IV
- may contain small amounts of narcotics
Legen Drugs
prescription drugs
OTC Drugs
prescription not required and accessible at drug stores
Generic vs Brand Name Drugs
Generic drugs provide an effect within 10% (+/-) of the branded product
- however, there are some instances where the consistency of the manufacturer matters, whether brand or generic