Key Terms- PHARM

Question 1

process by which drugs are transferred from the site of entry into the body to the bloodstream

Answer 1

Absorption

Question 2

undesirable effects other than the intended therapeutic effect of a drug

Answer 2

Adverse drug reactions

Question 3

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

Answer 3

Allergic effect

Question 4

glass flask containing a single dose of medication for parenteral administration

Answer 4

Ampule

Question 5

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

Answer 5

Anaphylactic reaction/Anaphylaxis

Question 6

The portion of a drug that reaches the systemic circulation and can act on the cells is called the drug’s ____________.

Answer 6

Bioavailability

Question 7

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

Answer 7

Distribution

Question 8

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

Answer 8

Drug tolerance

Question 9

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

Answer 9

Ethnopharmacology

Question 10

removal of a drug from the body

Answer 10

Excretion

Question 11

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

Answer 11

Generic name

Question 12

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

Answer 12

Half-life

Question 13

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

Answer 13

Idiosyncratic effect

Question 14

(1) act of breathing in; synonym for inspiration; (2) administration of a drug in solution via the respiratory tract

Answer 14

Inhalation

Question 15

injection placed just below the epidermis

Answer 15

Intradermal injection

Question 16

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

Answer 16

Intramuscular (IM) injection

Question 17

injection of a solution into the vein

Answer 17

Intravenous (IV) route

Question 18

process of creating an accurate list of all medications a patient is taking, including drug name, dosage, frequency, and route, and comparing the list to the physician’s admission, transfer, or discharge orders, with the goal of providing correct medications to the patient at all transition points within the hospital

Answer 18

Medication reconciliation

Question 19

(1) chemical changes in the body by which energy is provided; (2) breakdown of a drug to an inactive form; also referred to as biotransformation

Answer 19

Metabolism

Question 20

popularly used to refer to injection routes

Answer 20

Parenteral

Question 21

highest plasma concentration of a drug

Answer 21

Peak level

Question 22

process by which drugs alter cell physiology and affect the body

Answer 22

Pharmacodynamics

Question 23

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

Answer 23

Pharmacogenetics

Question 24

use of information about a person’s genetic makeup, or genome, to choose the drugs and drug doses that are likely to work best for that person

Answer 24

Pharmacogenomics

Question 25

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

Answer 25

Pharmacokinetics

Question 26

study of actions of chemicals on living organisms

Answer 26

Pharmacology

Question 27

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

Answer 27

Pharmacotherapeutics

Question 28

intermittent IV administration of medications through a primary IV line, with the additive container positioned higher than the primary IV solution

Answer 28

Piggyback infusion

Question 29

Latin word meaning, “I shall please”; an inactive substance that gives satisfaction to the person using it

Answer 29

Placebo

Question 30

“as needed” order for medication

Answer 30

PRN order

Question 31

single order carried out immediately

Answer 31

Stat order

Question 32

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

Answer 32

Subcutaneous injection

Question 33

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

Answer 33

Synergistic effect

Question 34

known to have potential to cause develop- mental defects in the embryo or fetus

Answer 34

Teratogenic

Question 35

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

Answer 35

Therapeutic range

Question 36

application of a substance directly to a body surface

Answer 36

Topical application

Question 37

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

Answer 37

Toxic effects (toxicities)

Question 38

drug name selected and trademarked by the company marketing the drug; also called brand name or proprietary name

Answer 38

Trade name

Question 39

the point when a drug is at its lowest concentration

Answer 39

Trough level

Question 40

glass bottle with self-sealing stopper through which medication is removed; may be single or multiple dose

Answer 40

Vial

Question 41

technique used to administer medications intra- muscularly that ensures that the medication does not leak back along the needle track and into the subcutaneous tis-sue, reducing pain and discomfort

Answer 41

Z-track technique

Question 42

process that occurs from the time a drug enters the body to the time it enters the bloodstream to be circulated

Answer 42

Absorption

Question 43

drug that produces effects similar to those produced by naturally occurring hormones, neurotransmitters, and other substances

Answer 43

Agonist

Question 44

drug that inhibits cell function by occupying receptor sites

Answer 44

Antagonist

Question 45

substance that relieves, prevents, or counteracts the effect of a poison

Answer 45

Antidote

Question 46

process that may involve manipulating deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA] and ribonucleic acid (RNA] and recombining genes into hybrid molecules that can be inserted into living organisms (often Escherichia coli bacteria) and repeatedly reproduced

Answer 46

Biotechnology

Question 47

manufacturer's chosen name for a drug, which is protected by a patent

Answer 47

Brand (trade) name

Question 48

drugs that are categorized by federal law according to therapeutic usefulness and potential for abuse; also known as scheduled drugs

Answer 48

Controlled substances

Question 49

groups of medications that are classified according to their effects on particular body systems, their therapeutic uses, and their chemical characteristics

Answer 49

Drug classifications

Question 50

chemical or official name of the drug that is independent of the manufacturer and often indicates the drug group

Answer 50

Generic name

Question 51

medications available for purchase without a prescription

Answer 51

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs

Question 52

costs of drug therapy, including costs of purchasing, dispensing, storage, administration, and laboratory and other tests used to monitor patient responses; also considers losses due to expiration 

Answer 52

Pharmacoeconomics

Question 53

study of how a person's genetic heritage leads to variable responses to drugs; more generally refers to genetic polymorphisms that occur in a patient population, such as an ethnic group, as opposed to an individual person

Answer 53

Pharmacogenomics (also known as pharmacogenetics)

Question 54

use of drugs to prevent, diagnose, or treat signs, symptoms, and disease processes

Answer 54

Pharmacotherapy

Question 55

inert substance containing no medication and given to reinforce a person's expectation to improve

Answer 55

Placebo

Question 56

medications that are ordered in writing by a licensed health care provider

Answer 56

Prescription drugs

Question 57

often the first drug of a particular drug class to be developed; usually the standard against which newer, similar drugs are compared

Answer 57

Prototype

Question 58

collection of patient data that affects drug therapy

Answer 58

Assessment

Question 59

oral tablet or capsule formulations that maintain consistent serum drug levels

Answer 59

Controlled-release

Question 60

form in which drugs are manufactured; includes elixirs, tablets, capsules, suppositories, parenteral drugs, and transdermal systems

Answer 60

Dosage form

Question 61

coating of a tablet or capsule that makes it insoluble in stomach acid

Answer 61

Enteric-coated

Question 62

determining a patient's status in relation to stated goals and expected outcomes

Answer 62

Evaluation

Question 63

scientific evidence that yields the best practice in patient care

Answer 63

Evidence-based practice

Question 64

planned nursing activities performed on a patient's behalf, including assessment, promotion of adherence to drug therapy, and solving problems related to drug therapy

Answer 64

Interventions

Question 65

list of prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, or illegal substances taken by the patient (both current and past)

Answer 65

Medication history

Question 66

description of patient problems based on assessment data 

Answer 66

Nursing diagnosis

Question 67

systematic way of gathering and using information to plan and provide individualized patient care

Answer 67

Nursing process

Question 68

injected administration; subcutaneous, intramuscular, or intravenous route

Answer 68

Parenteral

Question 69

expected outcomes of prescribed drug therapy

Answer 69

Planning/goals

Question 70

assist to ensure accuracy in drug therapy; rights include right drug, right dose, right patient, right assessment, right route, right time, right reason, right documentation, right patient education, right evaluation, and right to refuse the medication

Answer 70

Rights of medication administration

Question 71

application of drugs (e.g., solutions, ointments, creams, or suppositories) to skin or mucous membranes

Answer 71

Topical

Question 72

adsorption of drugs (e.g., skin patches] through the skin

Answer 72

Transdermal