Medication Classifications (LO2) Flashcards
Drugs are organized into classifications according to
the body system they affect, their therapeutic use or clinical indication, and/or their physiologic or chemical action
13 classifications of drugs
Opioid antagonists
Non-narcotic analgesics
Inhalation anesthetics
Adrenergic agonists
Bronchodilators
Antianginal agents
Anticoagulants
Platelet inhibitors
Uterotonics
Vitamin and electrolyte
supplements
Antihypoglycemic agents
Antimicrobials
Antidotes or neutralizing agents
Opioid
binds to opioid receptors to provide analgesic effects
Analgesic
medication that relieves pain
Anesthetics
medication that makes the body less sensitive to the perception of pain
Bronchodilators
medication which increases airflow to lungs by dilating the bronchi and bronchioles
Antiangina
medication to manage or reduce the heart condition angina
Anticoagulants
medication to prevent blood clots
Platelet inhibitors
medications which reduce blood clotting by preventing platelet cohesion
Uterotonics
medication to induce contraction of uterus
Antihypoglycemic
counteracting low blood glucose
Antimicrobials
medication to destroy or slow growth of microorganisms
Antidotes
medication to counteract poison
The CNS
which is comprised of the brain and spinal cord, receives signals from sensory receptors (e.g., pain, vision, cold, pressure, smell), processes these signals, and controls body responses to them
The classifications that you are going to study that affect the central nervous system are:
Opioid antagonists
Non-narcotic analgesics
Inhalation anesthetics
Opioid Antagonist
Narcotic medications elicit both analgesic and CNS effects
Some patients experience a feeling of well-being with their use
Opioid antagonists may be used to treat both narcotic abuse symptoms as well as therapeutic narcotic symptoms
Mechanism of Action of Opioid Antagonist
Opioid antagonists attach to opioid receptors and displace the narcotic, thereby rapidly reversing the effects of the narcotic
Types of Opioid Antagonists
Pure antagonists
Partial antagonists
Pure antagonists
Competitive blocking drugs
Occupy a receptor site so that narcotic cannot, but do not have any effect themselves
Partial antagonists
Bind with receptor sites
Produce weak narcotic-like effects in the absence of other narcotics
common uses of Opioid Antagonists
Narcotic induced respiratory depression
Narcotic addictions
common examples of Opioid Antagonists
*Naloxone Nalmefene Butorphanol Nalbuphine Pentazocine
cautions of Opioid Antagonists
Partial antagonists may cause worsening of respiratory depression
Use caution when administering to individuals that are addicted to narcotics due to resulting withdrawal symptoms
Non-Narcotic Analgesics
Pain levels must be assessed before and after an analgesic is administered to determine its effectiveness
Analgesics inhibit the body’s reaction to pain
Non-narcotic analgesics differ from narcotic analgesics as they produce analgesia through both the CNS and peripheral mechanism of action at the site of injury