Pharmacology

Question 1

What is pharmacology?

Answer 1

Study of drugs used to treat or cure disease

Question 2

What is microbiology?

Answer 2

The study of microorganisms responsible for various diseases

Question 3

What is pathology?

Answer 3

The study of disease

Question 4

What is a living cell?

Answer 4

Bacteria

Question 5

Why is a virus not considered “living”?

Answer 5

It needs a host to replicate

Question 6

What medication is used to treat bacterial infections that isn’t used for viral infections?

Answer 6

Antibiotics

Question 7

What are some common viral infections?

Answer 7

Influenza, rhinovirus, norovirus, herpes simplex

Question 8

What are some examples of parasitic infection?

Answer 8

Toxoplasmosis, malaria, trichomoniasis, tapeworm

Question 9

What do parasites release that can cause complications for the host?

Answer 9

Toxins

Question 10

What are the two main branches of pharmacology?

Answer 10

Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics

Question 11

What is pharmacodynamics?

Answer 11

Looks at what a drug does to the body; e.g. mechanism of drug action. Looks at the biochemical and physiological interaction and effects.

Question 12

What is pharmacokinetics?

Answer 12

Look at what the body does to a drug during its movement and distribution. Studies absorption, distribution, metabolism and secretion

Question 13

What is absorption?

Answer 13

Movement of drug into the circulation, looking also at the different methods of administration

Question 14

What is distribution?

Answer 14

The movement of the drug from circulation into body tissues; the dispersion and dissemination. Looks at how it binds to proteins in plasma, and the volume of distribution.

Question 15

What is the metabolism?

Answer 15

Mainly occurs in the liver, and makes the drug more water soluble. Chemical changes before urinal excretion.
There are 2 phases of metabolism

Question 16

What is phase 1 of metabolism?

Answer 16

Conducted by liver enzymes
The parent drug is modified and removal of the drug’s chemical groups occur, breaking unstable bonds and forming new ones. The end product may be more active and undergo further transformation before excretion.
OXIDATION, REDUCTION AND HYDROLYSIS

Question 17

What is phase 2 of metabolism?

Answer 17

Combination of drug with endogenous (large ionised) molecule, which makes drugs more water soluble and enables renal excretion. Conjugation with certain chemicals occur.

Question 18

What is excretion?

Answer 18

Movement of drugs or metabolites from cells into circulation, then to kidneys for excretion.
Drug clearance - irreversible removal of drug; determines concentration achieved with regular maintenance dose.
Drug half-life - time body takes to reduce plasma drug concentration by 50%. Influences intervals between doses.