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Module 1
Basic Pharmacology
Term | Definition |
---|---|
absorption | Process by which a drug is taken into the body and moves from the site of administration into the blood. |
adverse effect | Undesired, potentially harmful side effects of drugs. |
agonist | Drug molecule that binds to a receptor and causes a response. |
antagonist | Drug that binds to specific receptor sites and prevents other medications from binding to these same sites, reversing or not allowing them to have an effect. |
bioavailability | The extent to which an administered amount of a drug reaches the site of action and is available to produce its effects. |
biotechnology | Concepts of genetic engineering and recombinant DNA technology. |
biotransformation | Process of changing the chemical composition of a drug from lipid-soluble molecules into water-soluble molecules that can be more easily excreted; usually takes place in the liver; also known as drug metabolism. |
bolus | Entire dose of medication given all at once. |
contraindication | Condition when the use of a given medication should be avoided. |
distribution | Process in which the circulatory system transports a drug throughout the body and drug molecules eventually diffuse out of the bloodstream to the site of action. |
duration | Time between onset and disappearance of drug effects. |
emulsion | Medication contained in a mixture of water and oil bound together with an emulsifier. |
enteral | Pertaining to the intestinal tract |
excretion | Process of elimination of drug molecules from the body; usually by the urinary system. |
hypersensitivity | Allergic response resulting from previous exposure to the drug or a similar drug; a type of adverse effect to a drug. |
idiosyncratic effect | Rare and unpredictable adverse effects of some drugs on individuals in which the mechanism of the effect may not be known or clearly understood. |
indication | Reason a medication is used to treat a condition. |
local effect | Medication acts at the site of application. |
onset | Time between administration of a drug and the first appearance of effects. |
parenteral | Pertaining to any drug administration route other than the intestinal tract. |
pharmacodynamics | Study of how drug actions affect the body. |
pharmacokinetics | Study of how the body processes drugs. |
plasma protein binding | Process in which some drug molecules attach to proteins (albumins and globulins) contained in blood plasma. |
reconstituted | Mixing a powder with a liquid to form a solution. |
side effect | Predictable but unintended effect of a drug. |
solubility | Characteristic indicating how easily a drug can be dissolved in a fluid. |
solution | Mixture of drug particles fully dissolved in a liquid. |
suspension | Mixture of undissolved drug particles floating in a liquid. |
synergist | Drug that enhances the effect of another drug. |
systemic effect | Medication acts throughout the body. |
topical | Pertaining to a surface; drug administration route applied to the skin or a mucous membrane–lined cavity. |
narcotics | Term for a controlled substance that depresses the central nervous system for pain control and has the potential to become habit-forming. |
controlled substance | Medication with the potential to be misused or abused, controlled by the Drug Enforcement Administration, and given a classification/schedule. |
DEA | Drug Enforcement Administration, part of the Department of Justice, established to enforce the Controlled Substances Act. |
FDA | Food and Drug Administration. Agency within the Department of Health and Human Services that regulates the pharmaceutical industry. |
The Joint Commission | Organization that evaluates and accredits health care organizations and programs in the United States. |
OTC | Term used for over-the-counter medication that does not require a prescription. |
PDR | Physicians’ Desk Reference. Reference that provides information on medications used in medical and surgical practice. |
USP-NF | United States Pharmacopeia and National Formulary. Two different official national lists of approved medications. |