A
Compare and contrast the brand and generic names of drugs.
Brand: what a company names the drug (i.e. Advil, Motrin). Uppercase.
Generic: the chemical name of the drug (i.e. ibuprofen). Lowercase.Define excretion.
Elimination of the drug. Primarily occurs at the kidneys pending effective circulation.
Define pharmacokinetics.
The drug's movement through the body.
Activated charcoal. It is taken PO and absorbs toxins before they can exert their effects on the body.
Define distribution.
The transport of the drug within the bloodstream itself. It is pretty dependent on circulation.
Compare agonists to antagonists.
Agonists: drugs that bind to cell receptors to produce effects similar to those produced by naturally-occurring hormones.
Antagonists: drugs that inhibit cell function by occupying receptor sites.
This federal agency is responsible for drug safety, requires rigorous testing of new drugs before they're available for public use.
Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Define absorption.
What is pharmacology?
The study of drugs? "Pharma" = drugs, "logy" = the study of.
What drug route works the fastest? Slowest?
Fastest: IV, because injected directly into the bloodstream.
Slowest: PO, because it has to be absorbed in the GI tract.A patient was recently given morphine sulfate following a broken hip. On reassessment, the patient's respiratory rate is 6. What drug do you anticipate will be given?
naloxone/Narcan
What is the "first pass effect?"
Occurring with PO meds, it describes the metabolism of some of the drug before it reaches the bloodstream to exert its effect. It explains why PO drug doses are usually higher than IV equivalents.
The controlled substance act regulates narcotics among others. What federal agency enforces it?
Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).
Define metabolism.
The method by which drugs are inactivated in the body. Primarily occurs in liver by the cytochrome P450 enzyme.
Pregnancy categories of drugs are A, B, C, D, and X. Which is the best? Worst?
A: hasn't exhibited teratogenic effects.
X: known/very likely teratogenic effects.
What is a life-threatening adverse effect of opioid agonists/analgesics, especially if combined with other CNS depressants/alcohol?
Respiratory depression (<12 breaths/minute).
Controlled substances are scheduled I, II, III, IV, or V depending on their medical use and abuse potential, with schedule I being the worst and schedule V being the "best of the worst." What schedule are most opioid agonists/analgesics?
Schedule II.
What is the antidote for a benzodiazepine overdose?
flumazenil
Opioid agonists/analgesics bind to receptors in the brain and inhibit pain signals from the peripheral tissues. What are the 3 opioid agonists you need to know?
morphine (prototype), fentanyl, and oxycodone.
Is a drug with a high therapeutic index safer or more dangerous than one with a low therapeutic index?
Therapeutic index = "wiggle room" between minimum effective concentration and toxic level.
A high therapeutic index has a lot of wiggle room, a low therapeutic index does not.
More basic gastric pH, decreased GI motility/delayed emptying time/slower absorption, decreased blood flow through liver and kidneys, decreased hepatic enzyme function, decreased kidney function/GFR.
What are the components of a drug prescription?
Patient’s name, date and time of prescription, name of med, strength/dosage, route, time/frequency, quantity to dispense/refills, and MD’s signature.
The __________ criteria is a list of drugs that older adults should avoid because of life-threatening adverse effects.
Beers
What alters how drugs work in children (the younger, the more pronounced)?
Decreased gastric acid production and slower emptying time, decreased first-pass metabolism, increased absorption of topical meds, increased effects on CNS because blood-brain barrier not fully developed.
A 3 year old mistakenly consumed half a bottle of acetaminophen/Tylenol thinking it was candy and was subsequently brought to the ER by his mother. What drug do you anticipate will be given?
acetylcysteine/Mucomyst