Chemical Name:
Describes the drugs chemical composition and molecular structure
Generic Name:
Nonproprietary name
Name given by the United Sates Adopted Names Council
Trade Name:
Proprietary name
The drug has a registered trademark
Use of the name is restricted by the drug’s patent owner
Pharmaceutics:
The study of how various drug forms influence the way in which the drug affects the body
Enteric-Coated Tablets:
Coating prevents the medication from being broken down by stomach acids too fast
Coating protects the stomach from the irritation of certain medications
Do not crush or chew
Pharacokinetics:
The study of what the body does to the drug
Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Absorption:
Movement of a drug from it’s site of administration into the bloodstream for distribution to the
tissues
o Bioavailability: extent of drug absorption
o First-pass effect: amount of medication metabolized by the liver and not absorbed into
bloodstream
Routes:
o Enteral (GI tract)
Orally, sublingual, buccal
First pass effect, variable absorption
o Parenteral
Intravenous
Rapid onset; avoids first pass effect
Nursing considerations: monitor drug, compabilities, IV site
Intramuscular
Subcutaneous
o Topical
Avoid first pass effect; except rectal administration
Transdermal
Deliver constant amount
Distribution:
The transport of a drug by the bloodstream tot its site of action
Water soluble vs fat soluble
o Blood-brain barrier
Areas of rapid distribution
o Heart
o Liver
o Kidneys
o Brain
Areas of slower distribution
o Muscle
o Skin
o Fat
Protein-binding
o “bound drug” vs “free drug”
o Pharmacologically active vs inactive
o More free (unbound and active) drug = risk of drug toxicity
Metabolism/Biotransformation:
The biochemical alteration of a drug into an inactive metabolite, a more soluble compound, a
more potent active metabolite, or a less active metabolite
Liver (main organ)
Factors that decrease metabolism
o Cardiovascular dysfunction
o Rena insufficiency
o Starvation
o Obstructive jaundice
o Slow acetylator
o Ketoconazole therapy
Factors that increase metabolism
o Fast acetylator
o Barbiturate therapy
o Rifampin therapy
o Phenytoin therapy
Excretion:
The elimination of drugs from the body
Kidneys (main organ)
Other organs
o Liver
, o Bowel
Half life
o The time it takes for one half of the original amount of a drug to be removed from the
body
o A measure of the rate at which a drug is removed from the body
o Most drugs considered to be effectively removed after about 5 half lives
o Steady state
Physiological state in which the amount of medication excreted by the kidneys is
equal to the amount of medication absorbed with each dose
Drug Actions:
The cellular processes involved in the drug and cell interaction
Drug Effect:
Physiologic reaction of the body to the drug
Onset:
The time it takes for the drug to elicit a therapeutic response
Peak:
The time it takes for a drug to reach its maximum therapeutic response
Duration:
The time a drug concentration is sufficient to elicit a therapeutic response
Peak Level:
Highest blood level
Trough Level:
Lowest blood level
Pharmacodynamics:
The study of what the drug does to the body
Agonist:
Drug binds to the receptor
There is a response
Partial Agonist:
The drug binds to the receptor
The response is diminished compared with that elicited by an agonist
Antagonist:
Drug binds to the receptor
There is no response
Drug prevents binding of agonists
, Competitive Antagonist:
Drug competes with the agonist for binding to the receptor
If it binds, there is no response
Noncompetitive Antagonist:
Drug combines with different parts of the receptor and inactivates it, the agonist then has no
effect
Pharmacotherapeutics:
The clinical use of drugs to prevent and treat diseases
Acute Therapy:
Epinephrine during a code
Maintenance Therapy:
High blood pressure
Supplemental Therapy:
Insulin for a diabetic patient
Prophylactic Therapy:
Subq heparin to prevent blood clots
Empiric Therapy:
Based on clinical probabilities
Therapeutic Index:
Ratio of drug toxic level to the therapeutic level
High therapeutic index is safer
Low therapeutic index requires close monitoring
Additive Effect:
1+1=2
Synergistic Effect:
1+1>2
Antagonistic Effect:
1+1<2
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