EMT205 Key Terms Flashcards
(51 cards)
*absorption
the process by which drug molecules are moved from the site of entry into the body into the general circulation
acetylcholine
a neurotransmitter, widely distributed in body tissues, with the primary function of mediating the synaptic activity of the nervous system
adrenergic
of or pertaining to the sympathetic nerve fibers of the autonomic nervous system, which use epinephrine or epinephrine-like substances as neurotransmitters
*agonists
drugs that combine with receptors and initiate the expected response
alpha-adrenergic receptor
any one of the postulated adrenergic components of receptor tissues that responds to norepinephrine and to various blocking agents
*antagonists
agents designed to inhibit or counteract the effects of other drugs or undesired effects caused by normal or hyperactive physiological mechanisms
anticholinergic
of or pertaining to the blocking of acetylcholine receptors, resulting in inhibition of transmission of parasympathetic nerve impulses
beta-adrenergic receptor
any of the postulated adrenergic components of receptor tissues that respond to epinephrine and various blocking agents
*biological half-life
the time required to metabolize or eliminate half of the total amount of a drug in the body
biotransformation
the process by which a drug is converted chemically to metabolite
*blood-brain barrier
an anatomical-physiological feature of the brain thought to consist of walls of capillaries in the central nervous system and surrounding glial membranes; its function is to prevent or slow the passage of chemical compound from the blood into the central nervous system
*chemical name
the exact designation of a chemical structure as determined by the rules of chemical nomenclature (example: “1,2,3-Trinitroxypropane”)
This is almost never used to identify the drug in a clinical environment
cholinergic
of or pertaining to the effects produced by the parasympathetic nervous system or drugs that simulate or antagonize the parasympathetic nervous system
*contraindications
medical or physiological factors that make it harmful to administer a medication that would otherwise have a therapeutic effect
*controlled substances
any drug defined in the categories of the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act (aka the Controlled Substances Act) of 1970
Examples include: midazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, ketamine, morphine, fentanyl, codeine, and more
cumulative action
the effect that occurs when several doses of a drug are administered or when absorption occurs more quickly than removal by excretion or metabolism or both
distribution
the transport of a drug through the bloodstream to various tissues of the body and ultimately to its site of action
*drug interaction(s)
modification of the effects of one drug by the previous or concurrent administration of another drug, thereby increasing or diminishing the pharmacological or physiological action of one or both drugs (e.g. Calcium Chloride and Sodium Bicarbonate should NEVER be mixed in the same IV line)
drug receptors
parts of a cell with which a drug molecule interacts to trigger its desired response or effect
*dystonia
a condition characterized by local or diffuse changes in muscle tone, resulting in painful muscle spasms, unusually fixed postures, and strange movement patterns
effective dose 50 (ED50)
the amount of drug that produces a therapeutic response in 50% of those who take it
*effector organ
a muscle or gland that responds to nerve impulses from the central nervous system
endorphin
any of several peptides secreted in the brain that have a pain-relieving effect like morphine
*excretion
the elimination of toxic or inactive metabolites, primarily by the kidneys; the intestines, lungs, and mammary, sweat, and salivary glands also may be involved
