Pharma RLE

• Pharmacology is the scientific study of the origin, nature, chemistry, effects, and uses of drugs
• Pharmacologist is a scientist who specializes in the study of pharmacodynamics using biochemical, physiological, and other techniques
• Pharmacist is qualified and licensed to prepare, dispense medications, and manufacture dosage forms of drugs
• A drug or medication is any chemical substance that affects living systems and is used for treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of diseases
• Pharmacogenetics is the study of genetically determined reactions of drugs in the human body
• Pharmacodynamics is the study of the biochemical and physiological effects of drugs as well as their mechanism of action
• Pharmacokinetics involves the study of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and drug excretion in the body
• Pharmacotherapeutics is the study of how drugs may be used in the treatment of diseases and determining the most effective drug for a specific disorder
• Toxicology is the study of poisonous effects of drugs
• Drug therapy is the proper administration of drugs used to treat diseases
• Mechanism of action falls under pharmacodynamics and indicates how drugs work in the body
• Indication refers to the use of a drug for treating a specific disease
• Side effects are potential effects of drugs on multiple body systems simultaneously
• Adverse effects are undesired effects that may be unpleasant or dangerous
• Tolerance occurs when a person needs higher doses of a drug to produce the same effects
• Dependence is when a person is unable to control drug ingestion, leading to addiction
• Cumulative effect happens when a drug accumulates in the body, potentially leading to toxicity
• Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs are nonprescription drugs sold without a prescription
• Placebo is a dosage form with no pharmacologic activity due to the absence of active ingredients
• Half-life is the time it takes for half of the original amount of a drug in the body to be removed
• First-pass effect involves drug absorption into the mesenteric blood system and liver before reaching systemic circulation
• Potency is the amount of drug necessary to produce a maximum effect
• Primitive people used drugs for mystical purposes, believing evil spirits caused diseases
• Ancient Egypt and Greece had significant contributions to pharmaceutical history
• Arabian influence led to the establishment of schools, hospitals, and discovery of new drugs
• Paracelsus is known as the "Father of Pharmacology" for advocating the use of single drugs
• Lister and Semmelweis introduced antiseptics to prevent infection during surgery
• Ehrlich introduced Salvarsan for treating syphilis and antibiotics were discovered in the 20th century
• Banting & Best discovered insulin for treating diabetes
• Ehrlich introduced Salvarsan for treating syphilis and was responsible for the introduction of antibiotics
• Drug Forms can be solid (tablets, capsules), liquid (syrup, eye drops), or semisolid (ointment, lotion)
• Routes of Administration:

  • Oral
  • Parenteral
  • Topical
  • Inhalation
• Medication Error:

  • Unintended mistakes in prescribing, dispensing, and administration that could harm a patient