Module 7 Flashcards
How can drugs be classified
Schedule
Therapeutic
Chemical make-up
Mechanism of action
Schedule classification
Focuses on the potential for abuse and medical use. Helps to regulate the availability and control of substances
Schedule 1
High potential for abuse. No accepted medical use
Ex: heroin, LSD, “street drugs”
Schedule 2
High potential for abuse. Accepted medical uses with severe restrictions
ex: narcotics, morphine, oxycodone, etc
Schedule 3
Moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence
ex: anabolic steroids, codeine with aspirin, etc.
Schedule 4
Low risk of dependence
ex: diazepam, lorazepam, etc.
Schedule 5
Lower potential for abuse than 4. Consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics
ex: cough suppressants (can only get 200 mg of codeine / 100 ml) and gabapentine
Therapeutic use classification
Focuses on the condition or disease the drug is used to treat. It focuses on the clinical application of the drug
Therapeutic classification of antibiotics
Used to treat bacterial infections (amoxicillin, ciprofloxin)
Therapeutic classification of antihypertensives
Used to manage increase bp (lisinopril, metoprolol)
Therapeutic classification of Analgesics
Used to relieve pain (acetaminophen, ibuprofen)
Therapeutic classification of Antidepressants
Used to treat depression (fluoxetine, sertraline)
Chemical make up classification
focuses on the chemical structure of the drug. Drugs with similar chemical structures may belong to the same chemical class but can have diff mechanism of action
Penicillin classification
Penicillin is a class of antibiotic with similar chem structure but it targets different bacteria (gram positive bacteria)
cholinergic drugs
Mimic actions of acetylcholine and are a neurotransmitter involved in many functions including muscle activation and memory within the body.
Mechanism of action
Focuses on how the drug works in the body. It describes the specific biochemical interaction through which a drug substance produces its intended effect.
Beta-blockers MOA
Reduce bp by blocking the effects of adrenaline on the heart. All beta blockers end in -olol
Calcium channel blockers MOA
Prevent calcium from entering the cell of the heart and blood vessel walls. -zen, -pine, -mil
Ace-inhibitors MOA
relax blood vessels by preventing the formation of a hormone that narrows the blood vessels. -pril
Why is classification important
Drugs often fit into multiple groups because they have wide-range of effects on the human body
ex: morphine can be classified as a central nervous system depressant and a narcotic or opioid analgesic
Understanding these classifications help healthcare professionals choose the right drug for the right condition, to ensure patient safety and manage potential risks effectively
Prototype
Individual drug that represents a group of drugs
sets the standard for new drugs for which future drugs in the class are compared
Quite well established and most new drugs can be assigned to a group and compared to recognize prototypes
there are some groups that lack universally accepted prototypes and some prototypes are replaced over time by newer ones.
ex: morphine is the prototype for opioid analgesics
penicillin is the prototype for beta-lactam antibiotics
