Pharmacologic Principles Flashcards
Drug
any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism
Pharmacology
- study or science of drugs
- encompasses a variety of principles
Pharmaceutics
- the study of how various drug forms influence the way in which the drug affects the body
- dissolution-dissolving of solid dosage forms and their absorption
- different drug dosage forms have different pharmaceutical properties
- dosage form determines drug dissolution rate
Enteral Route
-the drug is absorbed into the systemic circulation through the oral or gastric mucosa or the small intestine (oral, sublingual, buccal, rectal)
Parenteral Route
IV, IM, sub Q, Intradermal, Intraarterial, Intrathecal, Intraarticular
Topical Route
skin, eyes, ears, nose, lungs, rectum, vagina
Pharmacokinetics
the study of what the body does to the drug
absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption
- bioavailability
- first pass effect
Distribution
- transport of a drug by the bloodstream to its site of action
- albumin is the most common blood protein and carries the majority of protein-bound drug molecules
Metabolism
biotransformation
- biochemical alteration of a drug into an inactive metabolite, a more soluble compound, a more potent active metabolite (as in the conversion of an inactive prodrug to its active form), or a less active metabolite
- Cytochrome P-450 enzymes also known as microsomal enzymes
- Lipophilic “fat loving”
- Hydrophilic “water loving”
- enzymes
Excretion
- elimination of drugs from the body
- renal excretion
- biliary excretion
- bowel excretion
Half life
time required for half of a given drug to be removed from the body
- measures the rate at which the drug is eliminated from the body
- after approximately five half-lives, most drugs are considered to be effectively removed from the body
Peak level
highest blood level
Trough level
lowest blood level
What happens if the peak blood level is too high?
Drug toxicity may occur
Pharmacodynamics
the study of what the drug does to the body
- The mechanism of drug actions in living tissues
- Therapeutic effect
- Mechanism of action
- Drug-receptor relationships
- enzymes
- nonselective interactions
Pharmacotherapeutics
-the clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases
Tolerance
decreasing response to repeated drug doses
Dependence
physiologic or psychological need for a drug
Physical dependence
physiologic need for a drug to avoid physical withdrawal symptoms
Psychological dependence
known as addiction and is the obsessive desire for the euphoric effects of a drug
Toxicology
-science of adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms
Pharmacognosy
the study of natural drug sources
Pharmacoeconomics
study of the economic factors influencing the cost of drug therapy
