Terminology / Definitions

Question 1

aetiology (etiology)

Answer 1

The study of causes of disease.

Question 2

iatrogenic

Answer 2

Caused from medical intervention

Question 3

idiopathic

Answer 3

Of unknown cause

Question 4

Pathogenesis

Answer 4

Mechanism and progress of disease

Question 5

Epidemiology

Answer 5

The study of patterns of health and disease.

Question 6

Incidence of disease

Answer 6

The amount of NEW cases

Question 7

Prevalence of disease

Answer 7

The total number of cases

Question 8

Morbidity

Answer 8

Incidence of disease in a population

Question 9

Mortality

Answer 9

Death rate

Question 10

Drug

Answer 10

Any substance used to modify physiological systems or pathological states for the benefit of the recipient.

Question 11

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 11

The effect of the body on the drug after administration.

Question 12

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 12

The effect of the drug on the body.

Remember TNT - dynamite - blows up the body

Question 13

Drug tolerance

Answer 13

Repeated use of a drug leads to decrease in effect.

Question 14

Drug dependence

Answer 14

Enables day to day survival - eg. Insulin

Question 15

Tachyphylaxis

Answer 15

Diminished responsiveness following repeat dosing of the same drug concentration. Eg. GTN patches.

Question 16

Adverse drug reaction

Answer 16

Unintended response to drug given in normal dose/treatment.

Question 17

Adverse drug event

Answer 17

Injury resulting from medical intervention related to a drug, but not caused from the drug itself. Eg, wrong drug given, wrong patient.

Question 18

Adverse effect

Answer 18

Unwanted effect resulting from pathway other than the one targeted.

Question 19

Drug affinity

Answer 19

Mechanism of binding

Question 20

Drug specificity

Answer 20

One target, one effect. How well the drug binds to the target, compared to other receptors.

NB. No drugs claim to have complete specificity.

Question 21

Drug selectivity

Answer 21

How well the drug binds to the main target.

Question 22

Potency

Answer 22

The amount of drug required to elicit a response.

Question 23

Emax

Answer 23

Maximal efficacy (100%)