L1 - fundamentals Flashcards
what is pharmacy
how drugs are formulated and dispensed for use as medicines
define therapeutics
use of drugs to treat disease
define toxicology
branch of pharma that focusses on harmful effects of drugs
what is a drug
chemical substance of known structure that produces physiological effect
what is a cyclooxygenase inhibitor? and give an example of one
pain killer
eg ibuprofen
what are target proteins for drugs
NT/H receptors
enzymes
ion channels
carriers/transporters
what are steric factors?
size & flexibility of a drug that determine how well it ‘fits’ into target
what type of bonds are
reversible
irreversible
VDW
H bonds
Hphilic and Hphobic
covalent
define selectivity
the aim that the drug will have only one function
eg a drug that aims to lower blood pressure but is also a diuretic wouldn’t have high selectivity
how can high selectivity be achieved?
designing drugs with high specificity
define specificity
how well the drug binds ONLY to the intended target protein
define pharmacodynamics
what the drug does to the body
define pharmacokinetics
what the body does to the drug
what 4 things are involved in pharmacokinetics?
- absorption
- distribution
- metabolism
- excretion
why is a drugs absorption important to study?
determines how much and how quickly drug enters blood
what can effect absorption
drug size
drugs lipid solubility
drugs chemical stability (eg in stomach acid)
what is important for a drug to be able to distribute around the body
its water solubility (to dissolve in plasma /ECF)
what can interfere with a drugs distribution around the body
- patients circulation
- drug sticking to plasma proteins (albumin)
- drug may partition into fat stores if highly lipid soluble
- whether it can access target (eg BBB)
5.
why is studying a drugs metabolism and excretion important?
determines
- how long drug effects last
- how long drug stays in system
- if any toxic/active metabolites are produced
what can influence a drugs metabolism and excretion
- does patient have healthy liver and kidneys
2. effectiveness of liver enzymes (genetics)
what ways are drugs excreted
- urine
2 faeces - breathing
- sweat
define clearance
volume of blood plasma cleared of the drug per unit time
define volume distribution (Vd)
the volume a drug would occupy IF the amount administered was dissolved in solution at the same conc that its found in blood plasma
why do we use Vd?
to quantify the factors effecting a drugs distribution
