Term | Definition |
Pharmacology | the study of how drugs work inside the body for their intended purposes |
physiology | the study of normal body function
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pathophysiology | the study of abnormal body processes or disease |
pharmaceutics | the study of how drugs are introduced to the body |
pharmacokinetics | the study of how drugs are absorbed into the bloodstream (absorption), circulated to tissues throughout the body (distribution), inactivated (metabolized), and eliminated from the bloodstream over time (metabolism and excretion |
pharmacodynamics | the study of drugs and their receptors on the molecular level |
pharmacotherapeutics | the study of how drugs are used in clinical practice for individual patients |
Generic Drug Name | the name given to a drug after its patent is approved, but before phase I clinical trials begin; usually the drug's name is somehow similar to others in the same class which exert the same activity |
Brand Name | the name given to a drug when it enters the market after phase III clinical trials; the name for which the manufacturer receives copyright/trademark rights and under which it markets the drug |
Major Drug Classes | a category of drugs grouped according to their mechanism of action |
Therapeutic Classes | individual drug classes lumped together according to their therapeutic use (for a specific condition/disease or on a particular body system) |
ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices) | a nonprofit organization that educates the healthcare community and consumers about safe medication practices |
Legend Drugs | a medication that is available only by prescription (see also prescription drug)
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OTC Medications | a medication that can be bought and used without a prescription
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Controlled Substances | medication that has potential for abuse and dependence |
Teratogenic | drugs that can cause birth defects or malformations in a developing fetus |
Medication Errors | an event in which a patient is harmed (or potentially harmed) by a medication in some way that could have been prevented
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Dosage Form | formulation by which a drug is delivered to the body |
Systemic Effect | the effect created when a drug must enter the bloodstream to reach its site of action |
Routes Of Administration | refers to the site in or on the body at which a drug is administered |
Oral | administering a drug by mouth (see also peroral) |
Parenteral Routes | a route of administration in which a drug is injected |
IM | a route of administration in which a drug is injected directly into a muscle
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IV | a route of administration in which a drug is injected directly into a vein |
SQ or SC | a route of administration in which a drug is injected into the fatty tissue under the dermal layer of the skin and above the muscular tissue |
IT and Epidural | a route of administration in which a drug is injected between vertabrae in the spinal column
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ID | a route of administration in which a drug is injected just underneath the top layer of the skin (epidermis) |
Rectal | a route of administration in which a drug is inserted into the rectum and allowed to melt or dissolve in place
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Transdermal | a route of administration in which a drug delivery system is applied to the skin so that the drug can be slowly absorbed through the skin over time
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Implant | a device inserted just below the skin to release a drug slowly over a long period of time (months to years) |
Topical | a route of administration used for drug that are not intended to be systemically absorbed; usually administered to the skin, lung tissue, eyes, or vagina |
Dermal | a route of administration in which a drug is applied topically to the skin
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Inhalation | a route of administration in which a drug is delivered to the lungs by breathing it in through the mouth |
Intranasal | a route of administration in which a drug is sprayed into the nose
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Opthalmic | a route of administration in which a drug is delivered topically to the eye |
Otic | a route of administration in which a drug is delivered into the external ear canal |
Vaginal | a route of administration in which a drug is delivered by inserting and applying medication into the vagina |