Pharmacology Flashcards
7 Drug Classifications
- stimulants
- depressants
- hallucinogens
- dissociatives (K, PCP) separates ppl. from sensory experience
- opioids
- inhalants
- cannabis.
7 Neurotransmitters
- Acetylcholine
- Dopamine
- Endorphins
- Epinephrine
- GABA
- Norepinephrine
- Serotonin
Acetylcholine
excites skeletal muscles
affects movement, learning, memory, REM sleep, sensory processing, attention
Dopamine
excites/inhibits learning, attention, movement, reinforcement
predominant w/reward
Norepinephrine
affects eating habits, female sexual behaviour, alertness, wakefulness
predominant in fear
sympathetic branch of autonomic nervous system
Epinephrine (adrenaline)
causes surges of energy
predominant in anger
metabolism of glucose
Serotonin
regulates mood, sleep, impulsivity, aggression, appetite
GABA
neural inhibition in CNS
learning, thought, emotions
controls anxiety
Endorphins
relief from pain
feelings of pleasure & well-being
Agonism
externally administered drugs
mimic neurotransmitters by occupying some/all receptor sites that cause drug effects
Antagonism
this action blocks transmitter from having it’s normal effect
drugs sometimes occupy receptor sites w/no effect
Endocrine System (8)
- adrenal glands
- gonads
- hypothalamus
- parathyroid
- pancreas
- pineal gland
- pituitary gland
- thyroid gland
Pituitary Gland
influences growth & laction
Thyroid Gland
controls metabolism
Pancreas
controls blood sugar
Adrenal Glands
arouses body; responds to stress
Gonads
secretes male (testes) & female (ovaries) hormones
Pineal Gland
regulates sleep cycle & body rhythms
Hypothalamus
controls the pituitary gland
Parathyroid
regulates calcium
Pharmacology
scientific study of drugs & their interactions w/living systems
how they get into the body
what they do in body
how they do it
how body breaks it down & excretes them
Psychopharmacology
disciple to systematically study effects of drugs on behaviour, cognitive functioning, & emotions
Pharmacy
prepares/dispenses drugs
provides info & pharmaceutical care
Drug
any chemical entity (mixture) not required for maintenance of health
alters biological function when administered
Psychoactive Drug
affects mood, thinking, behaviour
Drug Abuse
drug use causes physical, psychological, legal, social harms
The Neuron (7 parts) (see photo)
- dendrites
- cell body
- nucleus
- node of ranvier
- axon
- axon terminals
- myelin sheath / schwann’s cells
Dendrites
tree-root-shaped part, usually shorter & more numerous than axons
purpose is to receive info from other neurons & transmit electrical signals to cell body
Cell Body (Soma)
the core of the neuron
maintain the cell & keep the neuron functioning efficiently
produces genetic info & directs the synthesis of proteins
Axon (nerve fiber)
carry signals away from cell body to terminal buttons in order to transmit electrical signals to other neurons
Myelin Sheath (Schwann’s Cells)
layer of fatty material, covers the axons of neurons
insulates one nerve cell from another to prevent impulse from one neuron from interfering w/impulse from another
speeds up conduction of nerve impulses along the axon
Axon Terminals (terminal buttons)
transmit signals to other neurons
reuptake excess neurotransmitters which didn’t get passed onto the next neuron
Nucleus
protects majority of the DNA w/in each cell
produces necessary precursors for protein synthesis
Node of Ranvier (myelin-sheath gaps)
facilitate rapid conduction of nerve impulses
expose neuron membrane to external env.
essential in speed/timing of delivery of impulses from one neuron to another
Pharmacokinetics
what the body does to the drug
absorption, distribution, metabolism, drug excretion
Major Divisions of the Human Brain
- Hindbrain
- Midbrain
- Forebrain
Pharmacodynamics
what the drug does to the body
describes/explains drugs effects
focuses on mechanisms of action
Routes of Administration (7) (enternal)
- Oral - by mouth
- Sublingual - under tongue
- Suppositories - rectum, bum
- Inhalation - thru lungs
- Intranasal - thru nose
- Insufflation - blowing something (gas, powder, vapour) into body cavity
- Transdermal - thru skin
Routes of Administration (3) (injected routes, parenteral)
- IV Intravenous - directly into blood (mainlining)
- IM Intramuscular - into muscle
- SC Subcutaneous - underneath skin into tissue between skin & muscle (skin popping)
Therapeutic Index (TI)
drugs relative margin of safety
A.P. Charvel started it
TI determined by dividing LD50 (lethal dose) by ED50 (effective dose)
Hallucinogens
produce effects by acting on several areas of brain; major mood changes, experiences, thinking
Cocaine
from coca bush
short half-life
withdrawal-90min.
activates sympathetic nervous system (high HR, BP-amphetamines also)
Alcohol BAL
Blood Alcohol Level
# milligrams alcohol per litre blood
Ont. BAL .05%
Alcohol Dehydrogenase
enzyme destroys alcohol in stomach
Half-Life
time taken for body to eliminate half of given blood level of drug
Opiates
native to middle-east
opium from sap of poppy plant
medicinal use-pain
Opioid- can be synthetic/semi-synthetic (dilaudid/fentanyl)
opium wars-china/GB
active ingredients-morphine/codeine
Heroin
1898-HeinrichDreser (Bayer Company, Germany)
withdrawal symptoms can last for years
How drugs get into the blood
digestive system
lipid solubility (fat)
enternal routes (outside the body)
parenteral routes (inside the body)
