Pharmacolocy Powerpoint Flashcards
radiation therapists assist with the administration of
contrast
anesthesia
intravenous (IV) fluids
drug legislation
the federal food, drug, and cosmetic act of 1938 and the controlled substance act of 1971 govern the labeling, availability, and dispensation of all drugs in the US
define pharmacology
science of drugs, including the sources, chemistry, and actions of drugs
4 drug names
chemical name
generic name
official name
brand/trade name
Chemical name
constituents of the chemical formula
ex. N-(4hydroxyphenyl)acetamide)
Generic name
coined by the original manufacturer
ex. acetaminophen
official name
usually the same as the generic name
ex. acetaminophen
brand/trade name
the drug’s name in official publications
ex. Tylenol
pharmacodynamics
the way in which drugs affect the body
pharmacokinetics
the way that drugs travel through the body to their receptor sites
factors that cause variations in pharmacokinetics
the effectiveness and reaction to a drug may differ greatly from one patient to another
age
weight
physical condition
personal & emotional requirements (negative attitudes, anxiety, etc)
absorption
every drug must be absorbed into the bloodstream to be effective
dosage and speed of absorption depend on factors such as
route of entry
pH of recipient environment
solubility of the formula
drug’s interaction with body chemicals while in transit
distribution
a drug travels through the circulatory system to its receptor site(s) and then connects with the molecular structure
the drug may need to bind with a certain protein or cross specific membranes to produce the desired response
distribution examples
many drugs cross the placental villi and affect the fetus
fewer drugs can cross the blood-brain barrier
some medications may be stored in the tissues for later use
metabolism
aka biotransformation
the process by which the body alters the chemical composition of a substance
what organ detoxifies nearly all foriegn substances entering the body
liver
what does the liver do when it detoxifies foreign substances
changes them into inactive, water soluble compounds that can be excreted by the kidneys
what main organ excretes water-soluble compounds from the liver
kidneys
ways the body excretes drugs and their by-products
most drugs leave body through kidneys lungs expel drugs that break down into gases sweat glands tear ducts salivary glands intestines mammary glands
what does the rate of excretion depend on
body’s systems
drug’s half-life and concentration in the tissues
reactions
expected side effects
complications
adverse, unexpected reactions
allergic reactions
result from an immunologic reaction to a drug
drug acts as an antigen and the body develops antibodies to that drug
once allergy develops subsequent exposures to that drug cause increasingly sever symptoms
tolerance
when the body adapts to a particular drug and requires ever-increasing doses to achieve the desired effect
not addiction
cumulative effect
develops when the body is unable to detoxify because the drug accumulates in tissue and becomes toxic
can be good (anti-depressants) or bad
idiosyncratic effect
unpredictable symptoms caused by a genetic defect within the patient
dependence
can result from extensive exposure to a drug or a compulsion to continue taking a drug to feel good or avoid feeling bad
usually caused from physiologic or psychological problems
drug interactions
occurs between 2 or more drugs or a combination of food and drugs
can be posistive or negative
synergism
increases a drug’s effect
ex- alcohol & sedatives
iatrogenic disease
a disease that results from long-term use of a drug that damages organs or causes other disorders over time
drugs used to treat disease can cause disease
ex- XRT and chemo
antagonism
decreases a drug’s effect
ex- antiemetic and anesthesia
seven rights of medication administration
right patient right medication right dose right time right route right documentation right reason/indication
pharmacologists classify drugs in what ways
- according to the effects of the drug on particular receptor sites or body systems
- in terms of the symptoms that the drug relieves
- by its chemical group
these categories can overlap
a single drug can be used to treat multiple conditions
several different drugs can be used to treat a single condition
what is contrast media used for in radiation oncology
during simulation to improve the visibility of soft tissues and other areas with low natural contrast
protocols are established in each clinic/hospital for imaging procedures and contrast
is it important to take an accurate patient history before the administration of contrast
extremely important
most departments have some type of a contrast media administration history form
why is it important to assess kidney function before injection of contrast
the kidneys are responsible for eliminating contrast material after IV administration, assessment minimizes the risk of contrast-induced nephrotoxicity (toxicity in the kidneys)
kidney function is assesed by
blood work
blood urea nitrogen (BUN)- normal in adults 7-20 mg/uL
creatinine- normal in adults 0.6-1.4 mg/dL
glomerular filtration rate (GFR)- normal in adults 120 mL/min/1.73 m^2
what kind of patients often require additional guidelines before IV contrast administration
diabetic
all medication must be…
ordered
can be verbal but must be written and signed by a physician within 24 hours
drugs may be administered via what routes
oral
mucous membrane (rectum, sublingual)
topical
parenteral (subcutaneous, intramuscular, intravenous)
Parenteral drug administration
medication bypasses the gastrointestinal tract
“by injection”
4 most common parenteral routes
intradermal subcutaneous (SC) intramuscular (IM) intravenous IV
intradermal route
a shallow injection between the layers of skin
subcutaneous SC route
a 45- or 90-degree injection into the SC tissue just below the skin
intramuscular IM route
a 90-degree injection into the muscle
used for larger amounts of mediation or a quicker systemic effect
intravenous IV
an injection directly into the bloodstream that provides an immediate effect
less common parenteral routes of drug administration
intrathecal- medications injected directly into the spinal canal
intratracheal- medications administered directly into the trachea
intracranial- medications administered directly into the brain
catheterization- includes urinary catheterization
what is the safest method of iv administration
continuous infusion- medication is mixed with a large volume of iv solution and given gradually over a period of time
what is the second safest method of iv administration
a drug “piggybacked” (added) onto the main iv line by means of a special valve so that the medication can be administered intermittently at prescribed levels
what is a third method of iv injection
bolus- a push or concentrated dose of medication injected by a syringe directly into the vein or through the iv port
requires dilligent observation, effect is fast and can be irreversible
most contrast media are are given
if not given orally, are injected by bolus or power injector
it is important to flush catheters with saline before and after contrast injection
what are methods of iv administration
continuous infusion
piggybacked
bolus
radiopharmaceuticals
not contrast agents radionuclides attached (chemically bound) to pharmaceuticals
how are radiopharmaceuticals imaged
using a gamma camera (nuclear medicine- PET scan)
physicians read the images knowing what looks like a pathologic condition
are PET and CT Simulation scans fused together today
yes
analgesic drug
relieves pain
narcotics- morphine, demerol
nonnarcotics- tylenol
narcotics are better at alleviating stronger pain; however, are associated with adverse side effects and are addictive
anesthetic
suppresses the sensation of feeling by acting on the CNS
general anesthetics- Pentothal- depress the CNS rendering the patient unconcious for major surgery
local anesthetics- Novocain- act only on the nerves ina small area
antianxiety drugs
helps calm anxious patients and relieve muscle spasms
antianxiety drugs can be used concurrently with radiation therapy treatments
antibiotics
suppress the growth of bacteria
penicilin, tetracycline (broad-spectrum antibiotics)
anticoagulants
prevents blood from clotting too quickly
warfarin, heparin
anticonvulsants
inhibit or control seizures
klonopin, dilantin
klonopin is administered orally
dilantin can be administered orally or parenterally
antidepressants
affect neurotransmitters
affect communication within the cells of the brain
antidiarrheal
control the gastrointestinal GI distress
GI distress is typically from bacterial infections
antiemetic
prevent nausea and vomiting
phenagran
most effective when given before symptoms develop
often used to alleviate side effects of radiation therapy and chemo
antifungal
treat fungal infections such as yeast or thrush
nizoral
may be given to patients with head and neck cancer who have oral thrush
antihistamines
teat allergies but can also be found in cold remedies and motion sickness tablets
benadryl
often administered to patients before surgery, as many drugs trigger allergic reactions
antihypertensives
lower blood pressure
lopressor
antiinflammatory drugs
reduce inflammation
motrin
do not work as quickly as corticosteroids but they may have fewer side effects
antineoplastic
chemo drugs
mitotic inhibitors, alkylating agents, antimetabolites
can be extremely aggressive and cause adverse side effects because chemo drugs affect the entire system
contrast media
enhance the visibility of internal tissues for imaging
iodine, barium, air
oncologists depend on these to pinpoint target areas for radiation treatment planning
corticosteroids
reduce inflammation
decadron
can be used to treat adrenal deficiency
diuretics
remove fluid from cells
diuril
used to treat edema and are often used with antihypertensives to lower blood pressure
hormones
augment endocrine secretions
premarin
sex hormones can be used to treat neoplastic conditions in the opposite sex
narcotics
relieve pain
codeine
federally controlled substances that relax the cns
narcotic antagonists
used to counter the effects of narcotic drugs
naltrexone
narcotic antagonists bind to the opioid receptors so that the narcotic cant bind to the opioid receptor
sedatives
calm anxious patients and relax the cns
versed
can induce sleep or unconsciousness
skeletal muscle relaxants
relax skeletal muscles
valium
treat musculoskeletal conditions such as fibromyalgia, tension headaches, and myofascial pain syndrome
common medical abbreviations
common medical abbreviations
