Key Terms
The movement of a drug to the bloodstream
Absorption
A scientific term that describes the molecular structure of a drug; or the its chemical component.
Chemical name
This refers to the branch of pharmacology that studies how the body affects a drug, covering its absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
Pharmacokinetics
This term refers to a situation where one drug alters the effects of another drug, potentially increasing or decreasing its effectiveness or side effects.
Drug Interactions
This term describes unintended, harmful effects that occur at normal drug doses
Drugs that have the potential for abuse and dependency.
Controlled substances
Official name of a drug; not owned by any agency.
Generic name
This term describes the proportion of a drug that enters the systemic circulation intact after administration.
Bioavailability
This type of interaction occurs when one drug decreases the activity of enzymes responsible for metabolizing another drug, leading to increased drug levels.
Enzyme Inhibition
This type of adverse drug reaction is dose-dependent and predictable, often related to the pharmacological effects of the drug.
Type A (augmented) adverse drug reaction
Elimination of a drug from the body.
Excretion
A drug name selected by a specific company.
Trade name
This process, primarily occurring in the liver, transforms drugs into metabolites to prepare them for elimination.
Metabolism
This occurs when two drugs taken together produce a greater effect than either drug would produce on its own.
Synergistic Effect
These adverse reactions are unpredictable, not dose-dependent, and often involve allergic or idiosyncratic responses.
Type B (bizarre) adverse drug reactions
Time required for the body to eliminate 50% of the drug.
Half-life
The generic name is the official name given to a drug by the ________
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
This process involves the movement of a drug from the bloodstream into tissues, organs, and cells.
Distribution
This term refers to the unintended combination of two drugs with similar effects, potentially leading to toxicity or overdose.
Therapeutic Duplication
Rash, itching, swelling, and difficulty breathing are symptoms often associated with this kind of severe adverse reaction.
Allergic reaction or anaphylaxis
An unusual response than the one that is typically expected when taking a specific drug/dosage.
Drug idiosyncrasy
One safety practice to avoid confusion when choosing a drug name.
Tall Man lettering
This phenomenon occurs when a drug is extensively metabolized by the liver before reaching systemic circulation, reducing its bioavailability.
First-pass effect
This fruit juice is known to interact with several medications by inhibiting cytochrome P450 enzymes, potentially causing increased drug levels in the blood.
Grapefruit Juice
These are medications used to treat bacterial infections by either killing bacteria or inhibiting their growth.
Antibiotics