Medical Terminology and Factors Affecting Drug Selection

Question 1

What do the following mean in medical terminology?
C/O
HPC
PMH
O/E
RoS
FH
SH
DH

Answer 1

C/O - complaining of
HPC - history of presenting complaints
PMH - past medical history 
O/E - observations and examinations
RoS - review of system 
FH - family history 
SH - social history 
DH - drug history

Question 2

What is the structure of information given as?

Answer 2

DH - drug history 
Laboratory data and other results
- biochemical
- haematological
- tests – X-ray, ultrasound etc
Provisional diagnosis
Action Plan

Question 3

What do the prefixes describe in medicine?

Answer 3

describe a position
provide a description
describe numbers and measurements

Question 4

What do suffixes describe in medicine?

Answer 4

disease or a change in the body

surgery and incisions

Question 5

What does pathology mean?

Answer 5

the study and diagnosis of disease through examination of organs, tissues, bodily fluids, and whole bodies (autopsies)

Question 6

What are the patient factors affecting drug selection?

patient response

Answer 6

age = affects distribution and dosage of drugs

• young = organs are not fully developed, increased total body water
• old = failing organs, increased total body fat and decreased lean body mass

race/pharmacogenetics
adherence
- intentional or unintentional = due to side effects, fear

allergy
- what is the allergy and what is the nature (effect) of the allergy

tolerance
- prior or sustained exposure may lead to a poor response = require higher dosage for an effect
dependence
- long term reliance on medicines
concurrent disease
- may alter response = drug/drug, drug/disease

pregnancy and breastfeeding
interactions
adverse events

Question 7

What are the patient factors affecting drug selection?

handling

Answer 7

absorption
- depends on the function of the organs, condition can affect the absorption rate

distribution
- affected by fat and water content, body mass, plasma protein levels, disease

metabolism
- depends on the function of the organs = liver function decreases with age (can lead to toxicity if given normal dosage with faulty metabolism), drug interactions (enzyme inducers and inhibitors), disease, genetic differences

elimnation
- renal function decreases with age, can be affected by disease

Question 8

What are the drug factors affecting drug selection?

Answer 8

pharmacodynamic

• how the drugs acts on/effects the body
• drugs act on receptors, ion channels, enzymes

pharmacokinetic

• how the drugs is absorbed, distributed, metabolised and excreted
• half life affects drug selection = longer half life is preferred

biopharmaceutics

• the physicochemical properties of the drug and their proper dosage
• relates to onset of action, duration and intensity of drug action

formulation of the drug is important

• choice is dependent on the route of administration
• systemic vs local administration

Question 9

What are the economic factors affecting drug selection?

Answer 9

budgets
costs of drugs
postcode lottery
- drugs you can only get in certain areas

Question 10

What are the prescribing factors affecting drug selection?

Answer 10

local guidelines
specialisms
national guidelines