Medication Administration Terms and Abbreiviations

Question 1

Absorption

Answer 1

the incorporation of matter by other matter through chemical, molecular, or physical action

Question 2

Aerosol

Answer 2

nebulized particles suspended in a gas or in air

Question 3

Ampule

Answer 3

a small, sterile glass or plastic container that usually contains a single dose of a solution

Question 4

Anaphylactic Reaction

Answer 4

an acute allergic response involving IgE-mediated, antigen-stimulated mas cells activation resulting in histamine release

Question 5

Body Surface Area

Answer 5

the total area exposed to the outside environment

Question 6

Capsule

Answer 6

a small soluble container, usually made of gelatin, used for enclosing a dose of medication for swallowing

Question 7

Chemical Name

Answer 7

the exact designation of the chemical structure of a drug as determined by the rules of accepted systems of chemical nomenclature

Question 8

Cream

Answer 8

any fluid mixture of thick consistency

Question 9

Dermatological Agent

Answer 9

a drug used to treat reactions or disorders of the skin

Question 10

Distribution

Answer 10

the location of medications in various organs and tissues after administration

Question 11

Dose

Answer 11

the amount of a drug or other substance to be administered at one time

Question 12

Drug

Answer 12

any substance taken by mouth; injected into a muscle, the skin, a blood vessel, or a cavity of the body; or applied topically to treat or prevent a disease or condition

Question 13

Drug Abuse

Answer 13

the use of a drug for nontherapeutic effect

Question 14

Drug Allergy

Answer 14

hypersensitivity to a pharmacological agent

Question 15

Drug Interaction

Answer 15

alteration of the effects of a drug by reaction with another drug or drugs, with food or beverages, or with a preexisting medical condition

Question 16

Drug Tolerance

Answer 16

a condition of cellular adaptation to a pharmacologically active substance so that increasing larger doses are required to produce the same physiological or psychological effect obtained earlier with smaller doses

Question 17

Elixir

Answer 17

a clear liquid containing water, alcohol, sweeteners, or flavors, used primarily as a vehicle for the oral administration of a drug

Question 18

Excretion

Answer 18

the process of eliminating, shedding, or getting rid of substances by body organs or tissues, as a part of a natural metabolic activity

Question 19

Extract

Answer 19

a substance, usually a biologically active ingredient, prepared by the use of solvents or evaporation to separate the substance from the original material

Question 20

Gel/jelly

Answer 20

a colloid that is firm although it contains a large amount of liquid, used in many medicines as a demulcent, a vehicle for other drugs, an antacid, or an astringent, depending of the drug from which it is derived

Question 21

Generic Name

Answer 21

the official established nonproprietary name assigned to a drug

Question 22

Idiosyncratic Drug Effect

Answer 22

an uncommon response to a drug because of a genetic predisposition

Question 23

Drug Toxicity

Answer 23

the degree to which something is poisonous

Question 24

Enteric Coating

Answer 24

a layer added to oral medications that allows the medication to pass through the stomach and be absorbed in the intestinal tract

Question 25

Inhalation Administration of Medication

Answer 25

the administration of a drug by inspiration of the vapor released from a fragile ampule packed in a fine mesh that is crushed for immediate administration

Question 26

Instillation

Answer 26

a procedure in which a fluid is slowly introduced into a cavity or passage of the body and allowed to remain for a specific length of time before being drained or withdrawn

Question 27

Liniment

Answer 27

a preparation, usually containing an alcoholic, oily, or soapy vehicle, that is rubbed on the skin as a counterirritant

Question 28

Local

Answer 28

pertaining to a small circumscribed area of the body

Question 29

Lotion

Answer 29

a liquid preparation applied externally to protect the skin or to treat a dermatological disorder

Question 30

Medication

Answer 30

a drug or other substance that is used as a medicine

Question 31

Metabolism

Answer 31

the aggregate of all chemical processes that take place in living organisms, resulting in growth, generation of energy, elimination of wastes, and other body functions as they relate to the distribution of nutrients in the blood after digestion

Question 32

Ointment

Answer 32

a semisolid, externally applied preparation, usually containing a drug

Question 33

Ophthalmic/Ocular

Answer 33

pertaining to the eye

Question 34

Paste

Answer 34

a topical semisolid formulation containing a pharmacologically active ingredient in a fatty base, a viscous or mucilaginous base, or a mixture of starch and petrolatum

Question 35

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 35

the study of the action of drugs within the body, which can, in many respects, be envisioned more accurately as the actions of the body on an administered drug

Question 36

Pharmacology

Answer 36

the study of preparation, properties, uses, and actions of drugs

Question 37

Prescription

Answer 37

an order for medication, therapy, or therapeutic device given by a properly authorized person, which ultimately goes to a person properly authorized to dispense or perform the order

Question 38

Reconstitution

Answer 38

the continuous repair of tissue damage

Question 39

Solution

Answer 39

a mixture of one or more substances dissolved in another substance

Question 40

Spirit

Answer 40

any volatile liquid, particularly one that has been distilled

Question 41

Suppository

Answer 41

an easily melted mediated mass for insertion into the rectum, urethra, or vagina

Question 42

Suspension

Answer 42

a liquid in which small particles of a solid are dispersed, but not dissolved, and in which the dispersal is maintained by stirring or shaking the mixture

Question 43

Synergistic

Answer 43

pertaining to the acting or working together of a number of components

Question 44

Systemic

Answer 44

pertaining to the whole body rather than to a localized area or regional part of the body

Question 45

Tablet

Answer 45

a small, solid dosage form of a mediation

Question 46

Topical

Answer 46

pertaining to the surface of a part of the body

Question 47

Tincture

Answer 47

a substance in a solution that is dissolved in alcohol

Question 48

Troche

Answer 48

a small oval, round, or oblong tablet containing a medicinal agent incorporated in a flavored, sweetened mucilage or fruit base that dissolves in the mouth, releasing the drug

Question 49

Unit Dose

Answer 49

a method of preparing medications in which individual doses of patient medications are prepared by the pharmacy and delivered in individual labeled packets to the patient's unit to be administered by the nurses on an ordered schedule

Question 50

Vaginal Installation of Medicine

Answer 50

the instillation of a medicated cream, suppository, or gel into the vagina, usually to treat a local infection of the vagina or uterine cervix