chapter 1 - general aspects of pharm

Question 1

What can drugs do?

Answer 1

Drugs can prevent, correct, and reduce health problems.

Question 2

What is drug therapy?

Answer 2

Drug therapy is when a plan to improve a problem includes drugs.

Question 3

What is the definition of a drug?

Answer 3

A drug is any small molecule that changes a body function by working at the chemical and cell levels.

Question 4

What are the factors of drug therapy?

Answer 4

Factors include identifying the health problem, determining the best drug, routes to give medications, and ensuring the proper amount is given.

Question 5

What is an intrinsic drug?

Answer 5

Intrinsic drugs are chemicals the body makes.

Question 6

What is an extrinsic drug?

Answer 6

Extrinsic drugs must be taken into the body to change cell, organ, or body action.

Question 7

What is pharmacology?

Answer 7

Pharmacology is the study of drugs and how they work.

Question 8

What is the intended action of drug therapy?

Answer 8

The intended action or therapeutic effect is the reason a drug is prescribed.

Question 9

What are side effects?

Answer 9

Side effects are minor effects of a drug on body cells or tissues that are NOT the intended action.

Question 10

What determines drug safety?

Answer 10

Drug safety is determined by balancing the benefit of therapeutic effects against the seriousness of side effects.

Question 11

What are some common side effects?

Answer 11

Common side effects include dry mouth, dizziness, cramps, rashes, and impotence.

Question 12

What is a chemical name?

Answer 12

The chemical name is used by chemists who develop and manufacture the drug.

Question 13

What is a generic name?

Answer 13

The generic name is used by healthcare professionals and starts with a lowercase letter, e.g., ibuprofen.

Question 14

What is a brand name?

Answer 14

The brand name is created by the drug manufacturer, starts with a capital letter, and may include TM or a circle, e.g., Motrin, Advil.

Question 15

What are over-the-counter (OTC) drugs?

Answer 15

OTC drugs have minor side effects and can be obtained without a prescription.

Question 16

What are prescription drugs?

Answer 16

Prescription drugs require supervision from a healthcare provider.

Question 17

What are high alert drugs?

Answer 17

High alert drugs include Potassium, Insulin, Narcotics, Chemotherapeutic agents, and Heparin, known by the acronym ‘PINCH’.

Question 18

What is the United States Pharmacopeia (USP)?

Answer 18

The USP develops manufacturing standards, including purity, strength, packaging, and labeling.

Question 19

What is the role of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)?

Answer 19

The FDA enforces standards set by the USP.

Question 20

What is the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)?

Answer 20

The DEA requires all prescribers to register and have a DEA number.

Question 21

What is pharmacodynamics?

Answer 21

Pharmacodynamics studies the mechanism of action and how a drug changes cell activity.

Question 22

What are receptor agonists?

Answer 22

Receptor agonists have the right key to turn on a cell’s ignition and must interact with the correct receptor.

Question 23

What are receptor antagonists?

Answer 23

Receptor antagonists block receptors so intrinsic drugs cannot bind to them.

Question 24

What are physiological effects?

Answer 24

Physiological effects are the outcomes of the mechanism of action, including intended actions and side effects.

Question 25

What is an adverse effect?

Answer 25

An adverse effect or adverse drug reaction is a very serious harmful side effect that can cause serious health problems.

Question 26

What is pharmacokinetics?

Answer 26

Pharmacokinetics is the effect your body has on the medication.

Question 27

What is absorption in drug therapy?

Answer 27

Absorption is the movement of a drug from outside the body to the bloodstream.

Question 28

What is bioavailability?

Answer 28

Bioavailability is the amount of drug that makes it to the blood.

Question 29

What is half-life?

Answer 29

Half-life is the time needed for half a dose to be eliminated from the body.

Question 30

What is a loading dose?

Answer 30

A loading dose is a larger first dose of drugs with a longer half-life.

Question 31

What is the peak level of a drug?

Answer 31

The peak is the maximum drug blood level.

Question 32

What is the trough level of a drug?

Answer 32

The trough is the lowest/minimal blood drug level.

Question 33

What is distribution in pharmacokinetics?

Answer 33

Distribution is the extent a drug spreads into specific compartments: bloodstream, interstitial space, and intracellular space.

Question 34

What is elimination in drug therapy?

Answer 34

Elimination is the inactivation/removal of a drug from the body.

Question 35

What are lifespan considerations for drug therapy in children?

Answer 35

Children are prescribed drugs in mg/kg or body surface area (BSA) due to their smaller body size.

Question 36

What is a paradoxical effect?

Answer 36

A paradoxical effect is when children experience opposite effects compared to adults.

Question 37

What are teratogenic drugs?

Answer 37

Teratogenic drugs are those that can cause birth defects.

Question 38

What are drug interactions?

Answer 38

Drugs can interact with other drugs, food, vitamins, and herbal compounds.