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Pharmacology Vocab.
General Pharmacology Vocabulary
Vocabulary | Definition |
---|---|
Pharmacology | Study of drugs and their action on living organisms. |
Chemical name | Gives the exact chemical makeup of the drug and placing of the atoms or molecular struction; it is not capitalized. |
Generic name | Name given to a drug before it becomes official; may be used in all countries, by all manufactgurers; it is not capitalized. |
Official name | Name listed in TheUnited States Pharmacopoepia-National Formulary; may be the same as the generic. |
Trade name (brand name) | Name that is registered by the manufacturer and is followed by the trademard symbol; the name can only be used by the manufacturer; a drug may have several trade names, depending on the number of manufacturers; the first letter of the name is capitalized. |
Receptor | a specialized large group of molecules that are linked together that attaches or binds to the drug molecule. |
Agonists | drugs that bind with a receptor to produce a therapeutic response. |
Antagonists | join with a receptor to prevent the action of an agonist. |
Pharmacokinetics | refers to activities within the body after a drug is administered. These activities include absorption, distribution, biotransformation, excretions, and half-life. |
Absorption | process by which a drug is made available for use in the body. |
Distribution | The systemic circulation distributes drugs to various body tissues or target sites. |
Biotransformation | the process by which a drug is converted by the liver to inactive compounds through a series of chemical reactions. |
Excretion | The process of eliminating the inactive compounds from teh body through the kidneys. |
Half-life | refers to the time required for trhe body to eliminate 50% of the drug. |
Adverse Reactions | (side effects) when they are given a drug. |
allergic reaction | This occurs from drug administration when the body views the drug as a foriegn substance or an antigen. |
Drug Tolerance | a term used to describe a decreased response to a drug, requiring an increase in dosage to achieve the desired effect. |
synergism | occurs when drugs interact with each other and produce an effect that is greater than the sum of their seperate actions. (example: 1+1= 4 could be used to illistrate synergism) |
antagonist drug reactuib | occurs when one drug interferes with the action of another. |
bronchospasm | rapid constriction of the airways |
clinical pharmacology | an area of medicine devoted to the evaluation of drugs used for human therapeutic benefit |
enteral | the major route by which drugs enter the body through the digestive tract |
intradermal | method of parenteral drug delivery where drugs are injected into the dermis of the skin; also called an intracutaneous injection |
intramuscular | method of parenteral drug delivery where drugs are injected into layers of muscle beneath the skin |
intravenous | method of parenteral drug delivery where drugs are injected into the venous circulation |
mechanism of action | how a drug exerts its effects |
oral | method of enteral drug delivery in which drugs are swallowed, chewed, or allowed to slowly dissolve in the mouth |
parasympathetic nervous system | portion of the autonomic system that is active during periods of rest and which produces the rest or relaxation response |
parenteral | the major route by which drugs enter the body by a way other than the digestive tract, usually by injection |
peripheral nervous system | division of the nervous system containing all nervous tissue outside the CNS, including the autonomic nervous system |
pharmaceutics | the science of preparing and dispensing drugs |
pharmacodynamics | the study of how the body responds to drugs and natural substances |
pharmacopoeia | medical reference summary indicating standards of drug purity, strength, and directions for synthesis |
pharmacotherapeutics | treatment of diseases by the use of drugs |
potency | the power or strength of a drug at a specified concentration or dose |
rectal | method of enteral drug delivery where drugs are administered by way of the rectum |
scheduled drug | in the U.S., a term describing a drug placed into one of five categories (I through V) based on its potential for misuse or abuse |
secretion | movement of substances from the blood into the kidney tubule after filtration has occurred |
somatic nervous system | consists of nerves that provide voluntary control over skeletal muscle |
subcutaneous | method of parenteral drug delivery where drugs are injected into the hypodermis of the skin |
sublingual | method of enteral drug delivery where drugs are placed under the tongue |
sympathetic nervous system | portion of the autonomic system that is active during periods of stress and which produces the fight-or-flight response |
topical | the route by which drugs are placed directly onto the skin and mucous membranes |
transdermal | method of drug delivery, usually by a patch, where drugs are absorbed across the layers of the skin for the purpose of entering the bloodstream |
transmucosal | method of topical drug delivery where drugs are applied directly to mucosal membranes, including the nasal and respiratory pathways and reproductive openings |