Pharmacology Flashcards
Why should PTs understand pharmacology?
medications may alter clinical presentation or course of therapy
Role of PTs in pharmacology
monitor for medication adherence
educate on preventative health care
monitor for exercise-induced changes w/medication
identify rehab effects vs drug effects
Drug definition
Substance (other than food) intended to affect the structure or function of the body, includes drugs of abuse
Drug names can be…
chemical
generic
brand name
Polypharmacy
multiple definitions
1. more drugs prescribed than warranted
2. Too many pills to take, pill burden
3. more than 5 drugs a day
Why is polypharmacy a problem?
Increased risk of ADRs
Low adherence to drug therapy
Unnecessary healthcare costs (hospitals, $)
Pharmacodynamics
why you took the drug in the 1st place
effect of the drug on the body
includes cellular effects by which drugs produce systemic effects
Pharmacokinetics
effects of body on the drug
involves absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption
HOW do we take it?
Distribution
WHERE does it go in the body
Elimination
HOW LONG does it stay in the body?
made up of metabolism and excretion
Steps of how new drugs are developed and approved
- Science and testing on animals
- Application to FDA to test on humans
- Clinical Trials
*Phase 1 = max dose & ADRs
*Phase 2 = effect of drug on disease
*Phase 3 = placebo vs drug
Dietary Supplements
Has to meet these criteria:
1. supplement diets with vitamin, mineral, herb
2. ingestion
3. not food or meal
4. labeled at supplement
Prescription
Drug that is authorized by PCP
Over the counter drugs
available to any consumer
Risks of over the counter drugs
decreased awareness of dosages
increased drug-drug interactions
delay use of more effective meds
Enteral Absorption
via the GI tract
oral, sublingual, rectal
Parenteral Absorption
bypassing the GI system
Inhalation, Injection, Topical, Transdermal
Advantages of oral
Easy
safe–> don’t have to be sterile, and don’t reach peak plasma levels for awhile
Disadvantages of oral
must not be destroyed by acidic gastric environment
can cause GI upset
less predictable timeframe to reach effective plasma level
First Pass Effect
- Drugs are taken up from capillaries in stomach & small intestine and are transported by the hepatic portal vein to liver cells.
- Dosage has to be high enough to allow drug to survive enzymes of liver
Factors that affect the rate of GI absorption
Blood flow and intestinal motility
Gastric emptying time
Food
Buccal
between cheek and gums
Sublingual
under tongue
Sublingual and Buccal path of drugs
Oral mucosa –> veins –> superior vena cava –> heart
bypasses first-pass effect, so onset is much more rapid
Nitroglycerin
used to relieve acute anginal attacks
sublingual and buccal path of drugs
Rectal route
typically only used for treating local conditions
unconscious pts, vomiting (positive)
poor absorption, rectal irritation (negative)
Advantages of Parenteral
quantity of drug that reaches target site is more predictable than enteral routes
time frame is more predictable
no food, enzyme breakdown, GI issues
Routes of Parenteral
Inhalation
Injection
Topical
Transdermal
Inhalation
gases or aerosols
rapid entry into bloodstream
excellent for pulmonary conditions
can use nebulizer, spacer, diskus to avoid irritation
Spacer
one-way valved holding chamber for aerosolized drugs contained in MDIs
PTs should help to teach pts how to use inhalers
Injection
Can get peak drug level to target tissue quickly
easier to overdose, easy to cause infection
Methods of Injection
Intravenous
Intra-arterial
Intramuscular
Subcutaneous
Intrathecal
Intra-articular
Intravenous
can be a bolus or indwelling catheter
Intra-arterial
targets drug to certain tissues
Intramuscular
rapid, but stable drug use
Subcutaneous
injection directly in deepest skin layer, can be bolus or implanted device
Intrathecal
targets drug next to spinal cord, to enable easier bypass of blood-brain barrier
Intra-articular
injection into intra-articular space usually drugs to treat joint pain and/or inflammation
TOpical Administration
Can be applied to the skin or mucous membranes
Skin Topical Administration
drugs applied to skin, with intention of treating skin itself
generally POOR systemic absorption from skin
Mucous Membrane Topical Administration
drugs applied to mucous membranes with significant systemic absorption possible
Transdermal vs Topical
Goal is different
Drug design or modality used with it
Patches
only for transdermal use
only on intact skin
heat-dependent, avoid excessive heat
Indication
uses of the drug for a particular condition
ADRs
harmful unintended reactions to medicines that occur at doses normally used for treatment
Serious ADRs
require intervention by HCP
only had to occur once
Respiratory depression is a characteristic of all
opioids
Most common drug classes associated with ADRs
opioids
diuretics
anticoagulants