Week 2 - Intro to Pharmacology

Question 1

What are the 3 different drug names?

Answer 1

• Generic
• Chemical
• Trade

Question 2

What is the Generic name?

Answer 2

The official name listed in publications and used for prescribing (eg. Paracetamol)

Question 3

What is the chemical name?

Answer 3

Describes the chemical composition (eg. N-acetyl-p-aminophenol)

Question 4

What is the trade name?

Answer 4

Marketed name (eg. Panadol)

Question 5

Define the term pharmacodynamics

Answer 5

• The effect of the drug on the body (what the drug does to the body)

The study of the interaction between a drug and its molecular target and the pharmacological response

Question 6

Define the term pharmacokinetics

Answer 6

What the body does to the drug and how the body affects a specific drug after administration

Question 7

Define the term agonist

Answer 7

Binds to and activates receptor producing a similar response to the intended chemical and receptor

Question 8

Define the term antagonist

Answer 8

Binds to and deactivates receptor (stops the receptor from producing a response)

Question 9

Name the 4 pharmacokinetic processes in correct sequence

Answer 9

• Absorption
• Distribution
• Metabolism
• Excretion

Question 10

Describe Absorption

Answer 10

Refers to the passage of medications from the site of administration into the blood. Several factors influence how quickly a drug is absorbed.

Question 11

Describe Distribution

Answer 11

Refers to the movement of the drug from the blood to the body’s tissues

Question 12

Describe Metabolism

Answer 12

• The process of chemical modification of the drug.
• Mostly carried out by enzymes in the liver
• Results in a more water soluble compound which can be excreted by the kidneys
• The liver is the primary metabolism site (can occur in Kidney, lung, intestine)

Question 13

What do drugs need to be, to be able to be excreted?

Answer 13

Hydrophilic

Question 14

Describe Excretion

Answer 14

The removal of the drug from the body

Question 15

Why is assessment of the renal function important?

Answer 15

The kidneys excrete the majority of drugs

Question 16

What are some factors that will influence Absorption?

Answer 16

• Route of delivery
• Ability of the medication to dissolve
• Blood flow to the area of absorption
• Body surface area
• Lipid solubility of the medication

Question 17

What are some factors that will influence Distribution?

Answer 17

• Cardiac function
• Tissue binding
• The drug is first distributed to areas of high blood supply
• Capillary permeability
• Plasma protein binding

Question 18

What are some factors that influence Metabolism?

Answer 18

• Genetics
• Age
• Disease status
• Environmental factors (eg. Diet)

Question 19

What are some factors that influence Excretion?

Answer 19

• Pathways involved in the way the drug distributes through the body (Fast-pass metabolism)
• Intrinsic drug properties, (such as polarity, size, or pH)
• Genetic variation among individuals

Question 20

State five ways that drugs can be excreted

Answer 20

• Bile
• Faeces
• Expired air
• Sweat
• Breast milk

Question 21

Explain hepatic first pass effect

Answer 21

• Orally administered drugs travel first through the portal system and liver before entering the systemic circulation
• A variable amount of drug may be extracted before entering the systemic circulation (reducing the bioavailability) this means that not all of the drug absorbed will circulate around the body

Question 22

Explain drug bioavailability

Answer 22

The proportion of the administered dose that reaches the systemic circulation intact
- Drugs delivered intravenously have 100%
bioavailability