Pharmacology Flashcards
Define “drugs”
Foreign substances in the body
Define “medications”
Drugs that are used to treat and prevent disease.
Define “pharmacology”
The study of drugs and their effects on the body
What are the four main sources of drugs?
Plants, Minerals, Animals and Laboratory.
What is the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)?
A nongovernmental official public standards setting authority over prescription and over the counter drugs.
Define “pharmacodynamics”
How medications interact with the body to produce it’s effects
Define “pharmacokinetics”
How medications are transported into and out of the body
What are the four types of drug names?
Official, Chemical, Generic and Trade
What did the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 aim to do?
Improve the quality and labeling of drugs and named the United States Pharmacopeia as the official source of drug information
The Harrison Narcotic Act of 1914 attempted to do what?
Limit the indiscriminate use of highly addicting drugs by regulating the transportation, manufacture, sale and use of opium, cocaine, and their compounds and derivatives
What amendment required that pharmacists have verbal or written prescription from a physician to dispense certain drugs?
Durham-Humphrey Amendment to the 1938 Act
The FDA was empowered by what act to enforce premarket safety standards for drugs
The Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1938
What act created the 5 schedules of controlled substances?
Controlled Substance Act of 1970
Define “Schedule I”
High abuse potential, may lead to dependance, no medical indications
Define “Schedule II”
High abuse potential, may lead to dependance, has accepted medical indications.
Define “Schedule III”
Less abuse potential than Schedule I or II, may lead to moderate to low dependance or high psychological dependance, has accepted medical indications
Define “Schedule IV”
Low abuse potential compared to Schedule III, may lead to limited psychological or physical dependance, has accepted medical indications
Define “Schedule V”
Lower abuse potential compared to Schedule IV, may lead to limited psychological or physical dependance, has accepted medical indications
Define “assay”
The purity of a given chemical in a preparation in the laboratory
Define “bioequivalance”
The relative therapeutic effectiveness of chemically equivalent drugs
What are the “6 Rights”
Right patient, Right medication, Right route, Right time, Right documentation, Right dose
Define “teratogenic drugs”
Drugs that may harm or kill a fetus
What tool is used to measure pediatric patients for medication administration?
Broselowe Tape
What are the two types of chemicals that bind to receptor sites?
Agonist and antagonist
Define “efficacy”
Drugs ability to elicit it’s effect
Define “affinity”
The force of attraction between the receptor site and drug
Define agonist and antagonist
Agonists have affinity and efficacy, antagonists have affinity but no efficacy
Define onset of action
Time from administration to reaching the minimum effective concentration.
What is the time when a drug is above the minimum effective concentration in the body?
Duration of Action
What is the Lethal Dose for 50 percent of the population and the Effective Dose for 50 percent of the population called?
Therapeutic Index (TI)
Define biologic half-life
Time for the body to clear half of the medication.
The nervous system breaks down into what two systems?
The central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system
What are the parts of the central nervous system?
The brain and spinal cord
What parts make up the peripheral nervous system?
Nervous tissue outside of the Central Nervous System
The peripheral nervous system breaks down into what two systems?
Autonomic and Somatic Nervous System’s
What type of functions does the Somatic nervous system control?
Voluntary motor functions
What type of functions does the Autonomic Nervous System control?
Involuntary “automatic” functions
The Autonomic Nervous System breaks down into what two systems?
The Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous Systems
Describe the Sympathetic Nervous System
Fight or Flight
Describe the Parasympathetic Nervous System
Feed or Breed
What is the difference between analgesia and anesthesia?
Analgesia is the absence of the sensation of pain, anesthesia is the absence of all sensation
What are “analgesics”?
Medications that relieve the sensation of pain
Define “adjunct medications”
Adjunct medications enhance the effect of other analgesics
Opium and all of it’s derivatives reduce pain by being similar to what?
Similar to natural pain reducing peptides endorphins
How do endorphins and by extension opioids work to treat pain?
Work through opiate receptors and decrease pain by decreasing the sensory neurons ability to propagate pain impulse to the spinal cord and brain
What is the prototype drug for opioids?
Morphine
What are the three broad types of non-opioid analgesics?
Salicytes (Aspirin)Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs or NSAIDS (Ibuprofen)Paraminophenal Derivatives (Acetaminophen)
What are opioid antagonists useful for?
Reversing the effects of opioid drugs, usually to treat respiratory depression.
Naloxone (Narcan) is the prototype drug of what class?
Opioid Antagonist
Neuroleptanesthesia combines what two effects?
Anesthesia and amnesia.
True or false, Anesthetics are usually only given one at a time.
False
How do anesthetics work?
Hyperpolarize neural membranes which makes depolarization more difficult. Thus decreasing firing rate of impulses and reducing propagation of action.
What do paramedics typically use anesthetics for?
Assist in intubation in rapid sequence intubation
Define “Sedation”
Sedation is a state of decreased anxiety and inhibitions
Define “Hypnosis”
Instigation of sleep
Sleep is categorized into what two categories?
REM and Non-REM sleep
What are the two pharmacological classes of anti-anxiety and sedative-hypnotic medications are?
Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates.
Differentiate between Benzodiazepines and Barbiturates
Benzodiazepines are usually prescribed orally and generally safe to treat general anxiety while Barbiturates have a broader depressant quality and higher abuse potential
What does GABA stand for in context of neurotransmitters?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid
GABA is the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter of what system?
Central Nervous System
What is the antagonist to Benzodiazepines?
Flumazenil (Romazaicone)
Define “Seizure”
Seizure is hyperactivity in either a section of the brain (partial seizure) or all of the brain (generalized seizure)
What channels in the neural membrane do antiseizure and antiepileptic medications target?
Sodium and Calcium ion channels
What are the two techniques that stimulate the Central Nervous System?
Increasing the effectiveness or release of excitatory neurotransmitters or Decreasing the effectiveness or release of inhibitory neurotransmitters
What are the 3 pharmacological classes of CNS stimulants?
Amphetamines, Methylphenidates, Mehtylxanthines
What do amphetamines like methamphetamine and dextroamphetamine do?
Increase the release of excitatory neurotransmitters including norepinephrine and dopamine.
What Psychotherapeutic medications treat what?
Mental dysfunction
What are Extra Pyramidal Symptoms (EPS)?
Common side effects of antipsychotic medications which include muscle tremors.
Define “Neuroleptic”
Affecting the nerves
What are the two pharmaceuticals classes of antipsychotics and neuroleptics?
Phenothiazines, Butyrophenones
What are two medications to administer to every unknown unconscious?
Narcan and D50%
What is the difference between “lytic” and “mimetic”
Mimetic means to stimulate and lytics means to reduce the action of
What does Beta 1 receptor stimulation stimulate?
Heart
What does Beta 2 receptor stimulation stimulate?
Lungs
What does Alpha 1 receptor stimulation stimulate?
Vein and Arteriole constriction, Ejaculation
What does dopaminergic stimulation stimulate?
Vasodilation
What is the dosage for Epinephrine IV push?
0.3 mg - 1.0 mg
What is the dosage for dopamine infusion?
2-20 mcg/kg/min
What is the dosage for atropine iv push?
0.5 - 2.0 mg
What is the dosage for narcan iv push?
0.4 - 2.0 mg
What is the dosage for D50 iv push?
12.5 - 25 grams
What is the dosage for glucagon iv push?
1 mg
Amiodarone dose?
150 - 300 mg
What is the dosage for Epinephrine infusion?
1 to 4 mcg per min
