Pharmacology – study of drugs

Drug – is anything that alters a cells metabolism

Medicine – something that is used (prescribed) to treat for theraputic purposes

Prescription – a written order, description of treatment (involving drugs)

(Rx – treatment)

              Written by :

• Physician (MD)
• Nurse practitioner
• Physician assistant
• dentist

OTC vs. Prescription medication

Drugs are only given by prescription because they can cause death, addiction, or abuse

• some OTC drugs where once by prescription only
• if they can prove that a prescription drug can be taken safely with enough information given about it it might become OTC

REGULATION OF DRUGS

Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 – regulated the strength and purity of drugs, also said that all drugs must have labels

FDA (Food and Drug Administration) – formed in 1938, controls anything that you can ingest

• drugs
• food
• milk
• meat

Food and Drug Act of 1938 – stated that there must be warning labels on all drugs and that generic names had to be included in the drug literature.

1960’s brought about a rise in drug use throughout the population.  Peopl began to abuse prescription medications

LSD – widely use hallucinogen

Controlled Substances Act of 1970

• created five levels for some drugs (1 being the highest)
• prescription must be written on a sprecial pad
• only a physician can prescribe
• Heroin
• Percasete, Riddilin
• Coedine
• Valium
• Lomitil (anti-diharrea)

All medicines have 4 names:

• Trade name (CAPITALS)
• Generic name (lowercase)
• Chemical name
• Official name that it is registered under

Drug Studies -  used to evaluate a drug before it goes on the market

Efficacy study – is the last study before a drug is marketed

DRUG INFORMATION:

Indications – what the drug is used for

Actions – chemical makeup and reaction of the drug

Contra Indications -  when not to use the drug

Warnings – any severe side effects associatied with the drug, and any adverse reactions when you mix with other drugs

Side Effects

Interactions

PHARMOKINETICS – how drugs move throught the body

• Absorption
• Distribution (circulatory system)
• Metabolism (liver)
• Excretion (sweat, urine, breathing)

ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION :

• GI Tract – oral, NG tube into the stomach, Rectal
• Parenteral – any other route other than the GI tract
• Sublingual
• IM – intramuscular
• Subcutaneous
• Dermal
• IV- intravenous
• Inhalation

UNEXPECTED REACTION TO DRUGS:

• Teratogenetic – causes birth defects (Thalydomite)
• Idiosyncratic – response to a drug that most other people don’t experience
• Unexpected dependency to a drug -  an unanticipated dependence for the drug that usually isn’t seen
• Hypersensitivity – stron adverse reaction to a drug (anaphalactic shock)

TYPES OF DRUGS:

• Antibiotics – fights bacterial infections
• Analgesics – pain relievers
• Antipsychotics – used to calm down a patient (thorazine/ Haldol)
• Antimedic – used to stop naseau and vomiting (compazine)

• Antidiharreal – stops diharrea

ANTINEOPLASTICS – chemotherapy drugs

• Antimetabolites – methotrexate
• Side effects that are general associated with chemo (hair loss, loos of bone marrow)
• Alkylating agnets – cisplatin (used for leukemia and lymphoma)
• Plant alkaloids – Vinpastin / Vincrystin (used for leukemia and lymphoma)
• Antibiotics – Bleomycin / Adreomycin
• Hormones – used to starve the cancer of hormone support