Pharmacology Flashcards
Pharmacolgy
Scientific study of the action of drugs on a living system
A medication interacts with recepors and produces a biological response
Pharmokinetics
Study of movement of a drug throuhg the body during the following phases:
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
Therapeutic Equivalence
- Same chemical entitiy
- Same quantity of active ingredient
- Same dosage form
- Same route of administration
Drug-Drug Interaction
Descrbe the type of drug-drug interactions
One drug alters the action of another drug
These interactions include addition, antagonism, potentiation, and synergism
Addition: combined effect of 2 drugs
Drug + Drug = Sum of effects of each drug taken alone
Antagonism: One drug works against the action of another drug
Potentiation: One drug increases or prolongs the effect of another drug
The total effect is greater than the sum of the effects of each drug alone
Ex: Vistaril and Demerol
Synergism: The joint action of drugs in which their combined effect is more intense or longer in duration than the sum of the effects of the two drugs
Drug-Disease Interactions
Various diseases may inhibit the absorption, metabolisms and elimination of different drugs
Ex: Taking decongestants if the patient has hypertension or diabetes
Drug-Dietary Supplement Interactions
Dietary supplement interfere with drug actions
A total of 62% of herbal supplements used have had interactions with warfarin
Drug-Over-The-Counter Drug Interactions
Various OTCs meds may either increase or decrease the effects of a prescription medication
Ex.
Aspirin can increase the effect of warfarin (prevents new blood clots from forming) a blood thinner and
antacids (neutralize stomach acidity) can decrease the effects of cimetidine (treats ulcers)
Drug-Labarotory Interactions
Many drugs used today have demonstrated they may have an effect on serum potassium and creatine levels in the body
These interactions can result in additional testing to detect abnormalities
Drug-Nutrient Interactions
Poor nutrition may affect the metabolism of various drugs
Warfarin and Vitamin K are taken simultaneously
Drug-Food Interactions
Improved absorption occurs if the following drugs are taken with a fatty meal:
Ketoconazole (treats fungal infections such as dandruff, athletes foot, dermatitis)
Nitrofurantoin (treats urinary tract infections)
Griseofulvin (treats fungus infections)
Decreased absorption occurs if the following drugs are taken with food:
ciprofloxacin (treats infections and also treats antrax infections)
Tetracycline
Etidronate
Phenytoin
Norfloxacin
Zidovudine
Levothyroxine
Didanosine
Grapefruit juice affects the following drugs metabolized by cytochrome P450:
Calcium chanel blockers
Estrogens
Cyclosporine
Midazolam
Triazolam
Warfarin interacts with foods high in vitamin K, such as romaine lettuce and spinach
Should consult a cardiologist or internist for a list of these foods
Drug-Related Problems
Event or situation involving drug therapy that actually or potentilly interes with the optimum outcome
Problems include:
Untreated indication
Improper drug selection
Subtherapeutic dosgae
Failure to receive a drug
Overdosage
Drug use without an indication
Pregnancy Categories
5 Categories
Category A: Failure to show risk to fetus in 1st trimester and there is no risk in later trimesters
Category B: Animal studies fail to show risk to the fetus but there are no adequate studies in pregnant women OR animal studies have shown an adverse effect but human studies have not shown a risk to the fetus in the 1st trimester and there is no evidence of risk in later trimesters
Category C: Animal studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate studies in humans, but benefits may outweigh the risk
Category D: Positive evidence of human fetal risk, but the benefits outweigh the risk
Category X: Animals or human studies have shown fetal abnormalities or toxicity, and the risk out weighs the benefits.
Chemical Name:
Determined by chemical structure of the drug entity
Proprietary (brand or trade) name:
Assigned by the drug manufacture
AND
Protected by a Patent
Nonproprietary (genetic) name:
Assigned to a medication
Contains a word stem that has been issued by the U.S. Adopted Names Council Knowledge of prefixes, root words and suffixes
