Basics on Drug Administration

• pharmacology - study of the effect of drugs on living organisms
• pharmakon - meaning drugs
• logos - meaning science
• pharmacist - art of preparing, compounding, and dispensing drugs
• pharmacy - it is the place where drugs are prepared and dispensed
• pharmaceutical drug - a.k.a medicine, medication, or medicament
• OTC drugs

  • over-the-counter drugs
  • available without special restrictions
• POM

  • prescription only medicine
  • must be prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner
• BTC

  • behind-the-counter drugs
  • do not require a prescription
  • must be kept in dispensary
  • not visible to the public
  • not only be sold by a pharmacist or pharmacy technician
• superscription

  • descriptive patient information (name, age, address)
  • date prescribed
  • Rx symbol
• Rx - meaning take
• inscription - name and dosage strength of prescribed medication
• subscription - dispensing instructions for the pharmacist
• signatura - directions for the client
• prescriber's signature - physician's signature in the prescription form
• chemical name - describes drug molecular structure and identifies its chemical structure
• generic name - drug's official name
• trade name - name given by the drug manufacturer
• true - therapeutic effect is always accompanied with unlikely effect
• Local drug effect


  Point of contact and generally does not affect tissues in other areas
• Systemic drug effect


  Drug affects the different body systems
• Therapeutic effects

  • Desired effects
  • Intended effects
  • Primary effects
• Therapeutic effects


  The main reason why the drug is prescribed
• Kinds of therapeutic benefit

  • Palliative
  • Curative
  • Restorative
  • Supportive
  • Substitutive
• Palliative


  Relieves the symptoms of a disease but does not affect the disease itself
• Curative


  Cures a disease or the condition
• Restorative


  Returns the body to health
• Supportive


  Supports body function until other treatments or the body's response can take over
• Substitutive


  Replaces body fluids or substances
• Side effects


  Secondary effects, not intended but usually predictable
• Toxicity


  Deleterious effects of a drug to an organism
• Idiosyncratic effects


  Unexpected and may be individualized effect, unexplainable
• Drug allergy


  An immunologic reaction to a drug, ranging from mild to severe
• Anaphylactic reaction

  A severe allergic reaction, usually immediate
• Iatrogenic disease


  Disease caused unintentionally by medical therapy
• Drug interactions


  Occurs when the administration of one drug, alters the effect of one or both
• Drug misuse


  The improper use of common medications in ways that lead to acute or chronic toxicity
• Drug abuse


  The inappropriate intake of substance, either continually or periodically
• Aspects of drug abuse

  • Drug dependence
  • Drug habituation
• Types of Medication Order

  • Stat order
  • Single order (one-time order)
  • Standing order
  • PRN order (as needed order)