Chapter 16 General Pharmacology

Question 1

Key Terms

a medication used to reduce the clotting ability of blood to prevent and treat clots associated with myocardial infarction

Answer 1

Aspirin

Question 2

Key Terms

a device attached to the end of a syringe that atomizes medication (turns it into very fine droplets)

Answer 2

Atomizer

Question 3

Key Terms

specific signs or circumstances under which it is not appropriate and may be harmful to administer a drug to a patient

Answer 3

Contraindication

Question 4

Key Terms

referring to a route of medication administration that uses the gastrointestinal tract, such as swallowing a pill

Answer 4

Enteral

Question 5

Key Terms

a drug that helps to constrict the blood vessels and relax passages of the airway. It may be used to counter a severe allergic reaction

Answer 5

Epinephrine

Question 6

Key Terms

specific signs or circumstances under which it is appropriate to administer a drug to a patient

Answer 6

Indications

Question 7

Key Terms

a spray device with a mouthpiece that contains an aerosol form of a medication that a patient can spray into his airway

Answer 7

Inhaler

Question 8

Key Terms

an antidote for narcotic overdoses

Answer 8

Naloxone

Question 9

Key Terms

a drug that helps to dilate the coronary vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood

Answer 9

Nitroglycerin

Question 10

Key Terms

a form of glucose (a kind of sugar) given by mouth to treat an awake patient (who is able to swallow) with an altered mental status and a history of diabetes

Answer 10

Oral Glucose

Question 11

Key Terms

a gas commonly found in the atmosphere. Pure ______ is used as a drug to treat any patient whose medical or traumatic condition may cause him to be hypoxic, or low in oxygen

Answer 11

Oxygen

Question 12

Key Terms

referring to a route of medication administration that does not use the gastrointestinal tract, such as an intravenous medication

Answer 12

Parenteral

Question 13

Key Terms

the study of the effects of medications on the body

Answer 13

Pharmacodynamics

Question 14

Key Terms

the study of drugs, their sources, their characteristics, and their effects

Answer 14

Pharmacology

Question 15

Key Terms

any action of a drug other than the desired action

Answer 15

Side Effect

Question 16

Key Terms

an effect of a medication in addition to its desired effect that may be potentially harmful to the patient

Answer 16

Untoward Effect

Question 17

Short Answer

Name the drugs that are commonly carried on the ambulance and may be administered by the EMT under certain circumstances.

Answer 17

Aspirin, oxygen, and oral glucose are medications that are commonly carried on ambulances and may, in certain circumstances, be administered by an EMT.

Question 18

Short Answer

Name the drugs that the EMT may assist the patient in taking if they have been prescribed for him and with approval by medical direction.

Answer 18

Bronchodilator inhalers, nitroglycerin, and epinephrine auto-injectors are medications for which EMTs can commonly assist with patient administration.

Question 19

Short Answer

Medications may take the form of tablets. Name several other forms in which medications may appear.

Answer 19

Other forms of medications are powder, liquids, gels, sublingual sprays, and inhaled gases.

Question 20

Short Answer

Describe the difference between on-line medical control and off-line medical control. Provide examples of each.

Answer 20

On-line medical direction implies speaking directly to a physician, as in calling a doctor on the radio from an emergency scene. Off-line medical direction indicates physician involvement “behind the scenes,” such as in the development of guidelines and protocols.

Question 21

Short Answer

Name several routes by which medications may be administered.

Answer 21

Medications may be administered orally, sublingually, inhaled, injected, or even absorbed through the skin.