Pharmacology and the Older Person Flashcards
What are the learning objectives for this part of the course?
Identify the impacts of ageing on medication use in older adults, identify nursing actions to help reduce polypharmacy, and Identify nursing actions required for certain medications.
Define Pharmacokinetics.
The branch of pharmacology concerned with how medications enter the body, reach the site of action in sufficient concentration, and metabolised and excreted.
Define pharmacodynamics.
The branch of pharmacology concerned with the effects of drugs and the mechanism of their action.
What are the requirements for medications to be therapeutically useful.
Meds must be: taken into the body, absorbed, distributed to cells, tissues, or a specific organ, alter the bodys physiological functions.
When do we use knowledge of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics?
When timing meds administration, when selecting the route of admission, and when reviewing the patients clinical risk and also observing and evaluating patient response.
Define Half Life
The time it takes for the body to reduce concentration or the amount of the drug by half.
What do we need to be aware of in terms of medications?
The intended action and reason for meds, the effects, and specific medications that commonly cause problems.
What does digoxin treat and what is its side effects?
It’s used to control some heart problems, such as irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias) including atrial fibrillation. It can also help to manage the symptoms of heart failure, usually with other medicines. Side effects include: Nausea, dizzy, weakness, tiredness, potential allergic reactions.
What does warfarin treat and what is its side effects?
Blood-thinning medicine and an anticoagulant (stops blood clots). Common side effects include nausea (feeling sick), diarrhoea (runny poos), bleeding, and bruising,
What does aspirin EC treat and what is its side effects?
Blood-thinning medication – for prevention of blood clots aka working to prevent strokes and heart attacks. Side effects can include: Upset tummy, indigestion, stomach bleeding, and allergic reactions.
What does laxsol treat and what is its side effects?
Laxsol is mainly used to treat constipation, but it may be used to prevent constipation in people who are taking opioid medicines. The common side effects of laxatives are stomach pain or cramps, bloating, gas in your tummy, flatulence (farting).
What does losec treat and what is its side effects?
Used to treat problems affecting the stomach and gut, such as indigestion, reflux and ulcers. Also called omeprazole. Side effects can inlcude: upset tummy, bloating, loose stool, constipation, muscle cramps, weakness, tiredness, diarrhoea, and allergic reactions.
What does lipitor treat and what is its side effects?
Medicine to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol (cholesterol is a type of fat in the body) Belongs to a group of medicines known as statins. Side effects include: Muscle pain or weakness, headache, Diarrhoea (runny poo), Stomach upset, Bloating or gas in the tummy, Nausea (feeling sick), and allergic reactions.
What does GTN spary sublingual PRN treat and what is its side effects?
GTN spray is used to relieve angina. Angina is chest pain which may spread to your throat, jaw, neck, shoulders or arms. Angina happens when the blood supply to the muscles of your heart are restricted, due to narrowing of the blood vessels supplying your heart. Side effects include: Dizziness, headache, faint, changes to heartrate, and allergic reactions.
What does fruesmide treat and what is its side effects?
Furosemide is used to reduce extra fluid in the body (edema) caused by conditions such as heart failure, liver disease, and kidney disease also helps with the lowering of blood pressure. Side effects include, peeing more frequently, dry mouth, headaches, dizzyness, and confusion.
