Medications

Question 1

absorption

Answer 1

process by which drugs are transferred from the site of entry to the blood

Question 2

adverse drug reactions (ADRs)

Answer 2

undesirable effects other than the intended therapeutic effect of a drug

Question 3

allergic effect

Answer 3

immune system response that occurs when the body interprets an administered drug as a foreign substance and forms antibodies against the drug

Question 4

ampule

Answer 4

glass flask containing a single dose of medication for parenteral administration

Question 5

anaphylactic reaction or anaphylaxis

Answer 5

severe reaction occurring immediately after exposure to a drug; characterized by respiratory distress and vascular collapse

Question 6

distribution

Answer 6

movement of drugs by the circulatory system to the site of action

Question 7

drug tolerance

Answer 7

tendency of the body to become accustomed to a drug over time; larger doses are required to produce the desired effects

Question 8

ethnopharmacology

Answer 8

study of the effect of ethnicity on responses to prescribed medication, especially drug absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion

Question 9

excretion

Answer 9

removal of a drug from the body

Question 10

generic name

Answer 10

name assigned by the manufacturer who first develops a drug; it is often derived from the chemical name

Question 11

half-life

Answer 11

the amount of time it takes for half a dose of a drug to be eliminated from the body

Question 12

idiosyncratic effect

Answer 12

unusual, unexpected response to a drug that may manifest itself by overresponse, underresponse, or response different from the expected outcome

Question 13

inhalation

Answer 13

administration of a drug in solution via the respiratory tract

Question 14

intradermal injection

Answer 14

injection placed just below the epidermis

Question 15

intramuscular injection

Answer 15

an injection into deep muscle tissue, usually of the buttock, thigh, or upper arm

Question 16

intravenous route

Answer 16

injection of a solution into the vein

Question 17

medication reconciliation

Answer 17

process of creating an accurate list of all medications a patient is taking and comparing the list to the physician’s orders, with the goal of providing correct medications to the patient

Question 18

metabolism

Answer 18

breakdown of a drug to an inactive form

Question 19

parenteral

Answer 19

outside of intestines or alimentary canal

Question 20

peak level

Answer 20

highest plasma concentration of a drug

Question 21

pharmacodynamics

Answer 21

process by which drugs alter cell physiology and affect the body

Question 22

pharmacogenetics

Answer 22

the study of how genetic variation affects an individual’s response to drugs

Question 23

pharmacokinetics

Answer 23

movement of drug molecules in the body in relation to the drug’s absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion

Question 24

pharmacology

Answer 24

study of actions of chemicals on living organisms

Question 25

pharmacotherapeutics

Answer 25

dynamic that achieves the desired therapeutic effect of the drug without causing other undesirable effects

Question 26

placebo

Answer 26

an inactive substance that gives satisfaction to the person using it

Question 27

PRN order

Answer 27

as needed order

Question 28

stat order

Answer 28

single order carried out immediately

Question 29

subcutaneous injection

Answer 29

injection into the subcutaneous tissue that lies between the epidermis and the muscle

Question 30

synergistic effect

Answer 30

combined effect of two or more drugs is greater than the effect of each drug alone

Question 31

teratogenic

Answer 31

known to have potential to cause developmental defects in the embryo or fetus

Question 32

therapeutic range

Answer 32

that concentration of drug in the blood serum that produces the desired effect without causing toxicity

Question 33

topical application

Answer 33

application of a substance directly to a body surface

Question 34

toxic effect

Answer 34

specific groups of symptoms related to drug therapy that carry risk for permanent damage or death

Question 35

trade (brand) name

Answer 35

drug name selected and trademarked by the company marketing the drug

Question 36

trough level

Answer 36

the point when a drug is at its lowest concentration

Question 37

vial

Answer 37

glass bottle with self-sealing stopper through which medication is removed

Question 38

Z-track technique

Answer 38

technique used to administer medications intramuscularly, displace the skin with the hand