Pharmacology Flashcards
What are the 4 key stages in the process of drug consumption?
Absorption
Distribution
Metabolism
Excretion
What is the absorption stage?
The process by which the drug enters the body from its site of administration
What is the distribution stage?
The process by which the drug leaves the circulation and enters the tissues that are perfused by the blood
What may happens to a drug once it is in a tissue?
Blood-independent distribution
What is the metabolism stage?
The process by which tissue enzymes catalyse the chemical conversion of a drug into a more polar form that is more readily excreted from the body
Where does the metabolism occur?
Primarily in the liver
What is the excretion stage?
The processes that remove the drug from the body
What organs are used in the excretion stage?
Primarily the kidneys
How do the drugs administered orally get to the liver?
Through the portal circulation
State the three areas of the body which the drug can end up in.
Vascular compartment
Interstital water
Intracellular water
What are 4 main factors that control drug absorption, explain each?
Solubility - the drug must be dissolved in order to be absorbed
Chemical stability - some drugs can be
