Pharmacology Flashcards
What are analgesics used for?
To relieve pain by increasing the body’s pain threshold, altering the body’s response to pain, and relieving anxiety and fear.
Name three common narcotics.
- Fentanyl
- Morphine
- Demerol
What can narcotics cause as a side effect?
Respiratory depression.
List two examples of non-narcotic analgesics.
- ASA
- Tylenol
What do antacids do?
Relieve stomach discomfort by increasing stomach pH or decreasing stomach acid production.
Name one example of an antianginal medication.
Nitroglycerine.
How do antiarrhythmics work?
They modify the electrical impulses in the heart to manage arrhythmias.
What are the two broad categories of antiarrhythmics?
- Beta-blockers
- Calcium-channel blockers
What is the primary purpose of antibiotics?
To combat microorganisms.
Name an example of an antibiotic.
- Cipro (Ciprofloxacin)
What do anticoagulants do?
Prolong clotting time of the blood.
List two anticoagulants.
- Coumadin (Warfarin)
- Heparin
What is the function of anticholinergics?
Potentiate the sympathetic nervous system by blocking the actions of acetylcholine.
Name a common anticonvulsant.
Dilantin (Phenytoin).
What are the four classifications of antidepressants?
- Tricyclics
- MAOIs
- SSRIs
- Atypicals
What do antiemetics do?
Prevent or relieve nausea and vomiting.
Name an example of an antihistamine.
Diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
What are antihypertensives used for?
To lower blood pressure.
List two types of antihypertensives.
- ACE Inhibitors
- Angiotensin II blockers
What is the purpose of benzodiazepines?
Induce relaxation, reduce anxiety, and induce sleep.
Name a common bronchodilator.
Salbutamol (Ventolin).
What do cardiac glycosides do?
Increase cardiac output and slow SA and AV node conduction.
What is the function of diuretics?
Block the reabsorption of sodium and chloride in the kidneys.
Name one type of hypoglycemic medication.
Metformin.
Fill in the blank: The major use of opioid antagonists is to reverse the effects of _______.
opioid narcotics.
What do statins do?
Slow the production of cholesterol in the body.
Name an example of a statin.
Atorvastatin (Lipitor).
What is the rationale for using the intramuscular (IM) route for medication administration?
Medications are administered via the IM route when a drug is too irritating for subcutaneous injection or when a slower absorption rate is desired than intravenous administration.
What is the preferred route of administration for Naloxone in the treatment of opioid overdose?
Intramuscular (IM) injection.
What are the two components of the blended-learning model for this training module?
- Online self-directed study session
- Face-to-face collaborative learning session
What should you do if you have difficulty achieving a pass mark on the self-assessment?
Review the content until comfortable, and if difficulties persist, contact an educator in your zone for assistance.
Who is the target audience for this skill module?
- Advanced Care Paramedic (EMT-P)
- Primary Care Paramedic (EMT)
- Emergency Medical Responder (EMR)
What is the learning outcome of completing the online and face-to-face MCP training session?
You will be able to administer a medication using the intramuscular route and improve patient outcomes through safe and appropriate delivery.
List the learning objectives of this module.
- Describe the anatomy and physiology of intramuscular injection sites
- Describe proper landmarking techniques for the deltoid and vastus lateralis
- List the equipment needed for intramuscular medication administration
- Describe drug dosage calculation
- Describe the process for withdrawing medication from a vial and/or ampoule
- Describe the intramuscular injection procedure
- Demonstrate intramuscular medication administration
What is the performance criteria for the skill assessment?
A PASS on the Performance Standards Checklist.
What are the layers that the needle must pass through for an IM injection?
- Skin
- Dermis
- Subcutaneous tissue
What is the anatomical location of the deltoid injection site?
Upper arm, forming a triangle shape with the base along the acromion process.
What is the maximum volume that can be injected at the deltoid site?
1-3 ml of fluid.
What are the potential complications of a deltoid injection?
- Neuromuscular injury
- Insufficient muscle tissue in thinner patients
What is the preferred site for IM injections?
Vastus lateralis.
Describe the landmarking technique for the vastus lateralis injection site.
Place one hand below the greater trochanter and the other hand above the knee, the site is located in the space between the two hands.
List the equipment needed for intramuscular medication administration.
- Hand sanitizer
- Examination gloves
- 1 ml or 3 ml syringe
- Blunt fill 18 gauge 1 1⁄2 inch needle with filter
- 22-23 gauge 1-1 1⁄2 inch BD safety glide needle (Adult)
- 25 gauge 1” BD safety glide needle (Pediatric)
- Medication to be administered
- Adhesive bandage or cotton ball
- Alcohol swab
- 4X4 dressing
- Sharps container
What is the formula used for calculating drug dosage?
D / H × Q = X
In the drug dosage formula, what do the letters D, H, Q, and X represent?
- D = desired dose
- H = known dose on hand
- Q = volume on hand
- X = volume to be administered
What is the first step in withdrawing medication from a vial?
Clean the rubber stopper with an antiseptic swab.
What should you do after withdrawing medication from a vial before administering it?
Replace the fill needle with an injection needle.
What is the first step in withdrawing medication from an ampoule?
Attach a blunt fill needle to an appropriately-sized syringe.
What should you do to protect your fingers when breaking an ampoule?
Wrap the neck of the ampoule in a 4x4 dressing or alcohol swab.
List the steps in the intramuscular injection procedure.
- Perform hand hygiene
- Prepare the medication (7 rights)
- Prep the injection site with an antiseptic swab
- Perform the landmark technique
- Apply the Z track technique and insert the needle at a 90-degree angle
- Draw back on the plunger to check for blood
- Inject the medication if no blood is visible
- Withdraw the needle and apply the needle guard
- Dispose of the needle and syringe in a sharps container
- Cover the injection site with an adhesive bandage
- Reassess the patient
What is a drug?
Chemical agents used in the diagnosis, treatment, or prevention of disease
Define pharmacokinetics.
The study of drug movement through the body
What is pharmacodynamics?
Study of the biochemical and physiologic effects of drugs and the molecular mechanisms by which those drugs are produced
What do indications refer to in pharmacology?
The medical condition(s) in which the drug has proven to be of therapeutic value
Define contraindications.
Medical or physiological condition(s) present in a patient that would make it harmful to administer a medication
What are side effects?
The unavoidable, undesirable effects frequently seen even in therapeutic drug dosages
What is a loading dose?
A quantity higher than the average or maintenance dose, used at the initiation of therapy to rapidly establish a desired level of the drug
Fill in the blank: The half-life is the time required for _______ of a drug to be eliminated by a natural process.
half the amount
What is potentiation in pharmacology?
A synergistic action in which the effect of 2 drugs given simultaneously is greater than the effect of the drugs given separately
Define metabolism (biotransformation).
The enzymatic alteration of drug structure, primarily occurring in the liver
What is the primary organ responsible for drug metabolism?
The liver
What factors affect drug metabolism?
Age, nutritional status, first-pass effect, drug metabolizing enzymes, competition between drugs
What is the primary route of drug excretion?
Renal excretion
What are drug receptors?
Any functional macromolecule in a cell to which a drug binds to produce its effects
Define agonist.
A substance that activates a receptor to produce a biological response
What is a trade name?
A name for a drug that is based on its chemical name or the type of problem it is used for
What does CPS stand for?
Compendium of Pharmaceuticals and Specialties
List the six rights of medication administration.
- Right medication
- Right dosage
- Right route
- Right time
- Right patient
- Right site
What is the formula for calculating the volume to be administered?
Desired dose to be given / Known dose on hand x volume on hand
What needle length is typically used for IM injections?
1 - 1.5 inch needle
What gauge needle is commonly used for SC injections?
25 gauge needle
What is the optimal site for intranasal drug delivery?
Highly vascularized mucous membranes
What should be done immediately after removing a sharp from the skin?
Properly dispose of the sharp
What is the ideal volume for intranasal medication?
0.2 – 0.3 mL, not to exceed 1 mL per nostril
What does the acronym BSI stand for in medication administration?
Body Substance Isolation
Fill in the blank: After drug administration, you must inform the patient of _______.
Probable effects, possible side effects, why the drug has been given, what to expect
What must be documented on your PCR after drug administration?
Time of administration, dose, route, effect
