Lecture 1

Question 1

What is Pharmacology ?

Answer 1

the study of
drugs and
their actions
and effects in
body systems

Question 2

What are the three branches of Pharmacology ?

Answer 2

1. Pharmacotherapeutics
2. Pharmacokinetics
3. Pharmacodynamics

Question 3

What is Pharmacotherapeutics ?

Answer 3

Use of drugs for prevention and cure of
disease: Clinical management of diseases
•the study of how drugs are best used
and which drug is appropriate for a
specific disease

Question 4

What is Pharmokinectics ?

Answer 4

What the body does to drugs:

•Study of the fate of drugs during and
once ingested.

•The variability of drug responses in
varying patient population.

•Includes absorption, distribution,
metabolism, and excretion of drugs.

Question 5

What is Pharmacodynamics ?

Answer 5

What drugs do to the body:

•Study the mechanisms by which drugs
act on the body.

•The study of endogenous substances of
similar capacity

Pharmacodynamics takes into account the complex interactions between the drug, the human body, and then the pathogen that might be causing an infection in the patient

Question 6

What are the benefits of Therapeutics ?

Problems ?

Answer 6

the pharmacological effect should be of clinical
value to patients

Problems
due to same pharmacological effect on a separate
system
– due to an effect unrelated to the main
pharmacological action

Question 7

What are Placebos?

Answer 7

Inert or inactive substances given as treatment:
– psychological effect often in conjunction with
counselling
• Can’t do any harm
• Value in clinical trials

Question 8

What are Risk in Placebo ?

Answer 8

Unacceptable, acceptable or negligible
• Deliberate, imposed, unnecessary
• Public attitude to risk confused
– ‘100% safe’
– ‘medicine should make me better!’
– demand for treatment

• Confusion attenuated by:
– communication between patient and doctor
– ‘no fault’ compensation schemes
– public awareness

Question 9

What are Herbal Medicines ?

Answer 9

Many modern medicines developed from traditional medicines

Herbal medicines are those with active ingredients made from plant parts, such as leaves, roots or flowers. But being “natural” doesn’t necessarily mean they’re safe for you to take.

Question 10

What are some issues with herbal remedies ?

Answer 10

Many modern medicines developed from traditional medicines
• Cultural influences
• Placebo effect?
• Popular conception that they are not harmful
– not subject to same rigorous testing as ‘real’ drugs
– no guidelines for administration

Question 11

What are some other issues with Herbal Remedies ?

Answer 11

Traditional remedies
• Language problems
– compliance
• Sensitivity to diet
– recovery aided by eating well
• Religious objections

Question 12

Self Treatment

Answer 12

Good Thing about it ?
over-the-counter’ medication
– saves patient and doctors time
– pharmacist usually qualified to offer simple advice

Risk :
but:
– treatment of symptoms can mask underlying
pathology
– can overdose either accidentally or deliberately

Question 13

Pharmockinectics :

Absorption / excretion/ etc

Answer 13

Concentration of drug
– Drug’s chemical by-products in various body sites
– Time required for drug concentrations to develop
or change

Question 14

What are the two forms of administeration ?

Answer 14

• Enteral administration

- Parenteral adminstration

Question 15

What is Enteral ?

Answer 15

involves the esophagus, stomach, and small and large intestines
Involves absorption of the drug via the GI tract and includes oral, gastric or duodenal (e.g., feeding tube), and rectal administration.

Question 16

What are Examples of Enteral administration

Answer 16

Oral administration
• Advantages – convenience, acceptability – (enhanced effect of non-absorbed drugs on GI tract)

• Disadvantages
– problems in absorption and distribution
– GI irritation
– can’t be given to vomiting patient Sublingual administ

Question 17

Sublingual Administration

Answer 17

Sublingual administration9 Under the tongue

Advantages 
– avoids first pass effect 
– quick effect 
• Disadvantages
 – inconvenience if frequent administration needed
 – buccal irritation

Question 18

Rectal Administration

Answer 18

Rectal administration

Advantages
– avoid first pass effect
– can be administered if unconscious
– suitable if patient can’t swallow •

Disadvantages
– psychological
– unreliable absorption
- Lack of Patients acceptability .

Question 19

What is Parental Administration ?

Answer 19

of administration that do not involve drug absorption via the GI tract

Question 20

Examples of Parental Administration ?

Answer 20

Intravenous administration - that delivers fluids directly into a vein. The intravenous route of administration can be used both for injections, using a syringe at higher pressures; as well as for infusions, typically using only the pressure supplied by gravity.
Advantages
– immediate systemic delivery
– can be discontinued easily

Disadvantages
– requires experience
– inconvenient or unpleasant
– danger of too rapid administration