Pharamacology Lecture Flashcards
Define a drug
Chemical ages capable of producing a biological effect that be desirable or undesirable
What’s a biologic
Agents naturally prouduced in cells
How do you name a drug
Chemical name = structural formula of chemical
Generic name = used by the wider population eg. Aspirin
Proprietary name = manufacture specific name
Outline the general flow of drug movement through the body (pharmacokinetics)
Absorption
Distribution
Biotransformation/metabolism
Elimination
Explain the factors that go into the decision of absorption of the drug
Can be administered directly into blood via IV or get the drug through body and into blood
We have routes we can use for administration which is dependent on:
- formulation of drug
- patient comfort (tablet the most easy so pt will go for this)
- ease of administration
- plasma levels required
Exaplin drug admintration in terms of IV injection
IV
- rapid effect (absorption isn’t required)
- used as slow continuous infusion
- increased risk of toxicity
- main route for contrast media
- important route for emergency medicine
- only some drugs suitable (ie. not suspension (drug particles is suspended in and will sediments in the bottom when at rest - you can kill the patient if a suspension is injected IV)
solution (drug is dissolved in fluid completely)
Explain drug administration in terms of oral
Convenient
Slow absorption
Used with instruction (fasted or with food (acidic environment activation))
Many drugs would be unsuitable for liver metabolism ie. morphine (so we do IV)
Used for barium
Explain drug administration in terms of sublingual
Under the tongue ie. drugs treated to use angina
Convenient
Rapid absorption
Explain drug administration in terms of nebulisation
Rapid absorption
Drugs is converted into a fuse (mist - droplets of fluid) which can be inhaled
- can be admintrated directly into the region without spread to other parts ie. lungs
Explain drug administration in terms of intramuscular injection
Useful for depot effect
Prolonged drug affect
Depot effect = slowly absorbed during a period of time
Place under muscle through injection (can cause pain)
Explain how the drug is actually distributed in the body
Many drugs are transported when bound to plasma proteins (especially lipid soluble drugs as they can’t dissolve in plasma)
Only the free form of the drug can have a biological effect (this is what’s used in dose calculation)
Eg. Warfarin = 99% plasma protein (albumin) bound, thus only 1% of the dose has a biological effect and the remainder is a depot
Some NSAIDs have greater protein affinity than warfarin and will displace it and lead to toxic effects. It will basically make you overdose as there’s an increase in free warfarin to effect you biologically
Liver or renal disease pt = low protein levels in blood causing to toxicity
Explain what’s the first pass effect
It’s relevant to drug distribution that occurs when you admin orally
So orally administrated drugs = pass through liver after absorption before reaching parts of body
Many drugs are extensively metabolised (where they broken down extremely) before even getting to the region of interest
Exaplin whats biotransformation/metabolism
Drugs that have low water solubility are metabolised in liver to make them more soluble
However, the metabolic conversion of drugs may decrease its pharmacological activity, but other times metabolism of the drug may be required to activate it
Biotransformation is affected by
- age (lowered as you age)
- sex
- genetics
- health
- concurrent and previous intake of drugs (increase capacity to breakdown the drug)p, less enxymes to accomodate, more drugs you to take the greater the amount of enzymes you’ll have
Explain what’s elimination
Can occur usually most common via kidneys
- as you get older kidney function decreases (elimination slows down)
Usually urine but the ph of urine can affect rate of excretion
What’s efficacy of a drug
How well a medication produces its desired effect
Used to measure drug action