Pharmacology

Question 1

What is a medicine?

Answer 1

Any substance or combination of substances presented as having properties for treating
or preventing disease in human beings

Question 2

What are the two regulatory restrictions for drugs?

Answer 2

Intended mode of action
How they are supplied

Question 3

What are OTC - PO drugs?

Answer 3

Over the counter and sold / supplied under pharmacist supervison.

Question 4

What are OTC GSL drugs?

Answer 4

Over the counter, general sales and grocery stores

Question 5

What are Analgesics?

Answer 5

Codeine, paracetamol, aspirin, ibuprofen.

Question 6

What are Laxatives?

Answer 6

Bisacodyl, Senna

Question 7

What are PPIs?

Answer 7

Omeprazole

Question 8

What are cough mixtures?

Answer 8

Diphenydramine

Question 9

What are Anti-Histamines?

Answer 9

Cetririzine

Question 10

What are Decongestants?

Answer 10

Pseudoephedrine

Question 11

What’s the difference between an active and inactive ingredient?

Answer 11

Active delivers the mode of action and is responsible for side effects (ibuprofen to reduce inflammation)
Inactive alter the physical properties of the drug (filler, colouring, gluten)

Question 12

What do we mean by ‘drug class’

Answer 12

Penicillin is an antibiotic

Question 13

What do we mean by ‘Indication’

Answer 13

What the drug is intended for

Question 14

What do we mean by contraindication?

Answer 14

When the drug must not be used

Question 15

What do we mean by side effects?

Answer 15

Ibu can produce gastric ulcers

Question 16

What do we mean by interactions?

Answer 16

A drug’s activity is affected by another substance causing a new effect.

Question 17

What do drugs not do?

Answer 17

They do not target the underlying cause.

Question 18

Describe Willow Bark and its connection to aspirin.

Answer 18

It contains salicin, which does not convert to salicylic acid until it reaches the bloodstream and body tissues.
It reduces fever, inflammation and pain without SEs
Aspirin was synthetically developed from salicylic acid and can cause gastric problems.

Question 19

What do we call movement of drugs within the body?

Answer 19

Pharmacokinetics

Question 20

What do we call how drugs interact with the body to exert their effect?

Answer 20

Pharmacodynamics

Question 21

What is ADME?

Answer 21

Linked to pharmacokinetics
A: How is the drug ABSORBED
D: How is the drug distributed
M: How is the drug METABOLISED
E: How is the drug EXCRETED

Question 22

What is the process where drugs taken orally are absorbed from the gIT and taken via the Portal Vein into the liver to be metabolised, reducing the effect of the drug by the time it enters the systemic circulation.

Answer 22

First pass metabolism

Question 23

What do sublingual drugs do?

Answer 23

They bypass the liver metabolism

Question 24

How is a drugs distribution affected?

Answer 24

Binding to plasma proteins - affects active concentration of the drug
Binding to other tissues
Accumulation in lipids (e.g. general anaesthetic)
Natural barriers (e.g. blood brain barrier)

Question 25

What is drug metabolism?

Answer 25

The process by which drugs are chemically changed from a lipid soluble to a water soluble for excretion. Ph1: Drug is altered to make it suitable for excretion (P450 enzyme) Ph2: Molecules from Ph1 are conjugated to a more water-soluble product.

Question 26

What is 'enterohepatic circulation'?

Answer 26

When drugs are re-absorbed and re-enter the portal vein.

Question 27

What impacts how a drug interacts with the body?

Answer 27

Age, genetics, malnutrition, medical conditions

Question 28

Describe side effects

Answer 28

Nutrient Defs: e.g. metformin and B12 Metabolic effects: e.g. PPIs and hypomagnesaemia Dependence (e.g. diazepam) Osteo: (e.g. corticosteroids) Gout (e.g. diuretics) CV Disease (e.g. NSAIDS) Peptic Ulcers (e.g. NSAIDS)

Question 29

What are the key side effects of a PPI?

Answer 29

Bone fractures Hypomagnesaemia B12 def Bacterial enteric infections Rebound acid Kidney disease Dementia

Question 30

What are NTIs?

Answer 30

Narrow Therapeutic Index drugs that can become dangerously toxic/ineffective with only a small change in their blood concentrations. (Digoxin (heart) and Warfarin (blood thinner)

Question 31

What does garlic interact with?

Answer 31

Cholesterol and BP drugs

Question 32

What does gingko interact with?

Answer 32

Antiplatelet and anticoagulant drugs due to CYP induction.

Question 33

What does grapefruit interact with?

Answer 33

Inhibits CYP3A4 in intestinal wall e.g don't use with Digoxin or Statins.

Question 34

What does soy interact with?

Answer 34

Levothyroxine and Tamoxifen (oestrogen blocking)

Question 35

What nutrients do PPIs deplete?

Answer 35

Beta-carotene, calcium, chromium, iron, Mg, b12, vit C & zinc. By - reduced gastric acid levels inhibit absorption.

Question 36

What nutrients do Steroids deplete?

Answer 36

Cal, vit D, Cr, Mg By - increasing urinary excretion, losses from bone tissue.

Question 37

What nutrients do statins reduce?

Answer 37

CoQ10 By blocking synthesis of mevalonic acid, a precursor of cholesterol and CoQ10

Question 38

What nutrients do antibiotics reduce?

Answer 38

Biotin, B1, 2, 6, 12 By destruction of normal intestinal microflora.

Question 39

What nutrients do Metformin reduce?

Answer 39

B12, folate By malabsorption of B12 / B9

Question 40

What nutrients do Diuretics reduce?

Answer 40

Cal, Mg, Folate By increased urinary loss

Question 41

What nutrients do Antacids reduce?

Answer 41

Cal, Iron, Cr By increased gastric pH reducing solubility and absorption.

Question 42

What nutrients does Thyroxine reduce?

Answer 42

Cal By increased bone turnover leading to increased urinary cal losses.

Question 43

What nutrients do OCPs reduce?

Answer 43

Folate, Mg, B1,2,6,12, Vit A & C, Zinc By reduced absorption, increased excretion, increased protein binding

Question 44

What are ACE inhibitors for?

Answer 44

Heart failure/hypertension

Question 45

What are Statins for?

Answer 45

Hypercholesterolaemia

Question 46

What are Diuretics for?

Answer 46

Oedema due to heart failure / hypertension

Question 47

What are Digoxins for?

Answer 47

Atrial fibrilation, heart failure

Question 48

What are Antacids for?

Answer 48

GORD

Question 49

What are PPIs for?

Answer 49

GORD

Question 50

What are Anticoagulants for?

Answer 50

DVT, pulmonary embolism, TIAs

Question 51

What are Thyroid hormones for?

Answer 51

Hypothyroidism

Question 52

What are Antidepressants for?

Answer 52

Depressive illness, PTSD, OCD

Question 53

What is the serotonin syndrome?

Answer 53

An excess of serotonin due to therapeutic drug use, overdose or interaction

Question 54

What are symptoms of SS?

Answer 54

Confusion, disorientation, exaggerated reflexes, fever, sweating, BP changes.

Question 55

What are NSAIDS for?

Answer 55

Pain relief, inflammation, temp reduction

Question 56

What are Corticosteroids used for?

Answer 56

Asthma, eczema, iBD, autoimmune conditions