chapter 8

• anaphylaxis


  an extreme allergic reaction that can lead to respiratory distress, circulatory collapse, and death
• antagonist


  a substance that interferes with or opposes the action of a drug
• brand name


  the trade or proprietary name of a drug, a registered trademark of the manufacturer; written with an initial capital letter
• contraindication


  a factor that makes the use of a drug undesirable or dangerous
• drug


  a substance that alters body function
• efficacy


  the power to produce a specific result; effectiveness
• generic name


  the nonproprietary name of a drug; that is a name that is not privately owned or trademarked; usually a simplified version of the chemical name; not capitalized
• phytomedicine


  another name for herbal medicine (root means plant)
• potentiation


  increased potency created by two drugs acting together
• prescription (Rx)


  written and signed order for a drug with directions for its administration
• side effect


  a result of drug therapy or other therapy that is unrelated to or an extension of its intended effect, usually applies to an undesirable effect of treatment
• substance dependence


  a condition that may result from chronic use of a drug, in which a person has a chronic or compulsive need for a drug regardless of its adverse effects; dependence may be psychologic or physical
• synergy


  combined action of two or more drugs working together to produce an effect greater than any of the drugs could produce when acting alone, also called synergism (adjective synergistic)
• tolerance


  a condition in which chronic use of a drug results in loss of effectiveness and the dose must be increased to produce the original response
• withdrawal


  a condition that results from abrupt cessation or reduction of a drug that has been used regularly
• • lytic

  dissolving, reducing, loosening
• • mimetic

  mimicking, simulating
• • tropic

  acting on
• anti-


  against
• contra-

  against, opposite, opposed
• counter-

  against, opposed
• alg/o, algi/o, algesi/o

  pain
• chem/o

  chemical
• thrombolytic


  agent that dissolves a blood clot
• sympathomimetic


  mimicking the effects of the sympathetic
• psychotropic


  acting on the mind
• antiemetic


  drug that prevents vomiting
• contraceptive


  preventing conception
• countertransport


  movement in an opposite direction
• algesia


  sense of pain
• chemotherapy


  treatment with drugs
• hypn/o

  sleep
• narc/o

  stupor
• pharm, pharmac/o

  drug, medicine
• pry/o, pyret/o

  fever
• tox/o, toxic/o

  poison, toxin
• vas/o

  vessel
• hypnosis


  induced state of sleep
• narcotic


  agent that induces a state of stupor with decreased sensation
• pharmacy


  the science of preparing and dispensing drugs, or the place where these activities occur