Unit 3 Medication Administration Definitions Flashcards
Absorption
Movement of smaller elements through the walls of the digestive tract and into the blood. The passage of drug from the administration site into the bloodstream.
Adverse Effects
Severe, unintended, unwanted, and often unpredictable drug reactions.
Allergic Reaction
Unpredictable immune responses to medications.
Antagonism
A drug’s effect is decreased by taking it with another substance.
Buccal
Medication administration against the mucous membrane of the cheek.
Controlled Substances
Drugs with regulated manufacturing, prescribing, and dispensing requirements.
Distribution
The process of delivering a medication to tissues, organs, and ultimately, the specific site fo action.
Drug
Any substance that either positively or negatively alters physiologic function.
Drug Incompatibility
Mixing medications in a solution that causes precipitation, or combining a drug with another drug that causes an adverse chemical reaction.
Excretion
A process that removes the less active drug or its metabolites.
Generic Name
The official drug name assigned by the U.S. Adopted Names Council, which is simpler than the chemical name.
Half-Life
The time it takes for the blood concentration of a drug to measure half of the original dose due to drug elimination.
Idiosyncratic Reaction
An unpredictable patient response to medication.
Inhalation
Medications taken into the body through the respiratory tract.
Intradermal
A shallow injection into the dermis skin layer, just under the epidermis.
Intramuscular (IM)
An injection into a muscle of adequate size to accommodate the amount and type of medication.
Intravenous (IV)
An injection in the vein.
Medication
A drug specifically administered for its therapeutic effect on physiological function.
Medication Error
An preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is in the control of the health care professional, patient, or consumer.
Medication Interactions
A drug’s action is modified by the presence of a certain food, herb, or another medication.
Metabolism
The process of chemically changing nutrients, such as fats and proteins, into end products that are used to meet the energy needs of the body or stored for future use, thereby helping maintain homeostasis in the body. The process by which a drug is altered to a less active form to prepare for excretion.
NPO
Nil per os- Nothing by mouth.
Onset of Action
The time the body takes to respond to a drug after administration.
Oral
Mouth
Parental
Medication administration by injection or infusion.
Peak Plasma Level
The highest serum (blood) concentration of a drug.
Pharmacodynamics
The process in which a medication interacts with the body’s cells to produce a biologic response.
Pharmacokinetics
The study of how a medication enters teh body, moves through the body, and is excreted.
Prescription
Medications dispensed by a pharmacist on a receipt of written directions from a medical provider legally permitted to prescribe drugs.
Side effects
Predictable but unwanted and sometimes unavoidable reactions to medications.
Six Rights of Medication Administration
The right drug, right dose, right time, right route, right patient and right documentation.
Subcutaneous
An injection into the subcutaneous tissue just below the skin.
Sublingual
Medication administration under the tongue.
Synergistic Effect
The combined effect of substances is greater than the effect of either substance if taken alone.
Therapeutic Effect
The intended effect; the desired result or action of medication.
Topical
Medication administration on the skin or mucous membranes.
Toxic Effects
The buildup of medication in the blood due to impaired metabolism and excretion or to an overdose.
Trade Name
A registered name assigned by the drug manufacturer, brand name.
Transdermal Patch
A topical preparation designed to deliver medication slowly for long-term systemic effects.
Trough
The lowes serum level of the medication.
