Introduction to veterinary pharmacology Flashcards
Define pharmacology
All about how drugs interact with living organisms to produce a change in function
Define pharmacodynamics
What the drugs does to the body. What does it target and what is the response
Define pharmacokinetics
What the body does to the drugs or movement of drugs within the body. Where does it go and the plasma concentration
Pharmacy
storing, prescribing and dispensing of drugs
What is potency
how much drug is needed to exert an effect (use as little drug as possible)
List different considerations when selecting, prescribing and dispensing different drugs
Correct indication with no contra-indication ( the drug needs to be safe and effective)
- Efficacy
- Route of administration
- Legalisation
- Status of animal e.g. Young, old, pregnant
- Short (acute) vs long term (chronic ) therapy
- Cost
- Owner education
- Farm animal ( milk/meat withdrawal and individual/group)
What is efficacy
the effectiveness of the drug to treat the condition
What do you need to consider when selecting how a drug is administered
- Ease of administration
- Onset of activity
What is cascade in pharmacology- legalisation
Provides framework for use of non-licensed drug- increases treatment options
Describe the route an oral drug takes
- Absorption (stomach/intestine)
- Distribution (blood)
- Act on target
- metabolism (liver/lungs)
Excretion (GI tract/kidney)
What influences the absorption of drugs
- Route of administration
- Physiochemical properties of drug
- Status of GI system
- if it is taken with food
Describe how drugs are distributed within the body
Most drugs temporarily bind to plasma proteins (this inactivates them)
What can influence distribution of a drug within the body
disease state
What are the 4 main targets of drugs
- Receptors
- ion channels
- Enzymes
- Carriers
What is an agonist
Drugs that bind to a receptor and activate them
What is an antagonist
Drugs that bind receptors but do not activate them (antagonists block the effects of agonists)
How do drugs act on enzymes
Tend to inhibit enzymes so decrease their activity
How are drugs eliminated by metabolism
Once a drug has been metabolised (e.g. By the liver) it is inactivated, then excreted
Decribe drug elimination via excretion
Eliminated in urine by kidney
Describe adverse reactions of drugs
Could have no effect
Adverse side effect- idiopathic/ predicted
