pharmacology Flashcards
What is pharmacology?
the study of how chemical agents (drugs) can influence the function of living systems.
A better definition:
A chemical substance that interacts with a specific target within a
biological system to produce a physiologic effect
what 3 questions needed to be asked for drugs
) Where is the effect produced?
2) What is the target for the drug?
3) What is the response produced after interaction with this target?
where are side effects affected
1) other targets on the same tissue or other tissue
2) on the same target on other tissue
what do side effects depend on
dosage
what are the safest drug
large difference between the dose required to produce the desired effect and the non diserable effect so large margin for error
what do drugs target mainly
protien
what are the 4 main classes
Receptors
Enzymes
Transport proteins
Ion channels
what 2 effects do drugs have on target
Enhance activation (stimulate an effect)
Or
Prevent activation (block an effect from
being produced).
To be an effective therapeutic agent, a drug must show a
high degree of selectivity for a particular drug target
Why might selectivity be more important for drugs than endogenous compounds like dopamine?
the compunds are delivered very spcefically into their receptors e.g. dopamine relased by dopamine receptors then diffuse across synapse and bind to receptor
but drugs are taken orally can be sent to any tissue in the body
what are adverse effect
If that side effect has negative health consequences, then it is also termed an adverse effect
as dose increases selectivity
decreases
especially off target effect
if the margin between adverse affects and therapeutic affect is low what do you do
be very careful
administer in hospital where you can control
and stop if you see any adverse effects
