Pharmacology Flashcards
Explore the cellular and molecular involvement of prehospital medications and their effect on the body
Define:
Pharmacology
It focuses on how substances interact or alter living organisms.
What is the food, drug, and cosmetic act?
Gives the FDA the authority to create regulations ensuring that new drugs are safe and effective.
What does FDA stand for?
Food and Drug Administration
Responsible for approving new drugs.
Define:
Controlled Substances Act
It classifies medications into five categories, or schedules, based on their potential for abuse and addiction, as well as their accepted medical use.
What is a Schedule 1 drug?
high abuse potential
No recognized medical purpose.
E.g. heroin, marijuana, LSD
What is a Schedule 2 drug?
high abuse potential
Must be kept under lock and key.
E.g. fentanyl, cocaine
What is a Schedule 3 drug?
lower abuse potential
Must remain under lock and key with records kept and proper storage
E.g. hydrocodone, codeine, ketamine
What is a Schedule 4 drug?
lower abuse potential
E.g. diazepam, lorazepam, midazolam
What is a Schedule 5 drug?
lower abuse potential
E.g. narcotic cough drops
Define:
synthetic
Substances or materials that are artificially made in a laboratory.
Give examples of medications that come from plants, animals, minerals, and microorganisms.
- Plant: atropine, aspirin, digoxin, morphine.
- Animal: heparin, antivenom, insulin.
- Microorganism: streptokinase, antibiotics.
- Minerals: iron, magnesium, sulfate, lithium.
What is the difference between:
- Chemical Name
- Generic Name
- Brand Name
- Chemical - the exact composition of the medication.
- Generic -it includes a “stem” to link them to other similar medications.
- Brand - it influences marketing strategies.
Example:
Chemical Name: Sodium Bicarb
Generic Name: “am” (lorazepam, diazepam, midazolam)
Brand Name: lopressor: hints at lowering blood pressure.
Define:
Pharmacodynamics
The altering of one’s body through medication.
Define:
Pharmokinetics
The body’s action to a medication.
Define:
Exogenous
Refers to something that originates from outside of the body.
What are agonist medications?
Medications that attach to receptor sites to alter or influence a change.
E.g. opiates
What are antagonist medications?
They prevent the attachment of agonist cells from reaching the receptor site.
E.g. naloxone
Define:
affinity
The ability of a medication to bind with a receptor site.
What is a minimum concentration for medications?
The absolute minimum amount of a medication required to activate cellular activity.
Define:
threshold level
When initiation of the cellular change begins.
Define:
potency
The concentration of a medication required to initiate a cellular response.
When potency is low, a higher concentration is needed.
Define:
efficacy
The ability to initiate cellular activity in a desired manner.
Define:
diuretic
Draws excess water from certain body tissues and increases excretion of urine by the kidneys.
Define:
Paradoxical Reaction
The opposite effect from a medication as intended.
What is the ideal body/weight formula?
Men: 50kg + (2.3 x patient’s height in inches over 5 feet)
Women: 45.5kg + (2.3 x patient’s height in inches over 5 feet)
How does temperature affect absorption of medication?
- Hyperthermia: increases the rate of absorption.
- Hypothermia: decreases the rate of absorption.
What are the pregnancy categories for medications?
- A: No risk to fetus.
- B: May have been an effect in rates but none shown in women.
- C: May have shown an adverse effects on pregnancy. Drugs are given only if benefit outweighs the risk.
- D: Fetal risk is apparent.
- X: Fetal abnormalities, contraindicated in pregnant women.
Fill in the blank.
The placebo effect is when a _____ medication is given and still causes a change
fake
What is the therapeutic (desired) response?
A desired response achieved through medication administration.
What are adverse medical effects?
Medication that causes clinical changes that are not desired.
- Hypoglycemia after insulin administration.
- Bradycardia after beta blocker.
- Allergic reaction.
Define:
Idiosyncratic Reaction
Abnormal threshold to a medication due to:
- genetic factors
- dysfunction of metabolic enzyme
Define:
median lethal dose
“LD50”
Weight-based dose that causes death in 50% of animals tested.
Describe the phases of the cardiac cycle.
Phases 0-4
0. It begins with a rapid influx of sodium ions through channels in the cardiac cell, and potassium ions slowly exit the cell, causing depolarization.
1. Sodium influx decreases while potassium continues to leave the cell.
2. Movement of calcium into the cardiac cell while potassium continues to exit
3. CCalcium movement ceases with the continued outflow of potassium.
4. Cardiac cells are at rest, waiting for the generation of spontaneous impulses from within (automaticity).
