Therapeutics- Unhelpful Lectures Flashcards
What are unlicensed drugs?
Drugs that are no licensed for use in the UK
May be used if the clinical need cannot be met by a licensed medicine
Rare in practice- specialists only
What are off-label drugs?
Drugs being used for reasons other than their licensed use
This includes a different indication or a different dose
What do the letters of the DRUG mneumonic stand for?
Doctors- prescribed medicines
Recreational drugs- inc. tobacco and alcohol
User- Drugs obtained by the user- OTC and complementary therapy
Gynaecological- OCP and hormone therapy
Sensitivities- Any reactions to drugs?
What are the four main goals of good prescribing?
Maximise effectiveness
Minimise harms
Avoid wasting healthcare resources
Respect the person’s choice
What is affinity?
The probability that a drug will be occupying a receptor at any given time
What is selectivity?
The degree to which a drug acts on a specific given site relative to other sites
What is efficacy
Relative ability of a drug receptor complex to produce a functional response
What is potency?
Measure of the drug activity expressed in terms of the amount required to produce an effect of given intensity. More potent drugs cause effect at lower concentrations
What is tolerance?
Response reduces over prolonged period of taking the drug
What occurs when a person stops taking a drug after they have developed tolerance?
Withdrawal reaction
What is an on-target response?
Drug intended to modulate the function of a specific receptor in a particular tissue
What is an off-target response?
Drug and/or metabolites modulate the function of a target for which it was not intended
What is the CHM?
Commission for human medicines
What is the MHRA
Medicine and Health Care Regulatory Agency
What is an ADR?
Adverse drug reaction
Response to a drug which is noxious and unintended and which occurs at doses normally used in man for the prophylaxis, diagnosis or therapy of disease or the modification of physiological function
What is a type A drug reaction?
Augmented reactions
These are dose dependent and predictable on the basis of pharmacology of the drug
What is a type B drug reaction?
Bizarre reactions that are idiosyncratic and not predictable
What is the yellow card scheme?
This is for reporting ADRs
Includes suspected ADRS associated with misuse, overdose, medication errors or from use of unlicensed and off-label medicines
What does the black triangle mean of some drugs?
This indicates it is a new drug/vaccine and so encourages reporting of ADRs
What are controlled drugs?
These are drugs under strict regulation under the Missuse of Drugs Regulations (2001) as they may be subject to abuse
