Introduction to pharmacology

• Records exist in every culture dating to antiquity describing the use of plants (herbs) to relieve symptoms
• During the Dark Ages there were few records, but herbs were still being used
• Pharmacologia sen Manuductio and Materiam Medicum


  First recorded reference to pharmacology, written by Samuel Dale in 1693
• Modern pharmacology began


  Early 1800s
• Early researchers


  • Used themselves as test subjects
• First department of pharmacology established at Estonia


  1847
• John Jacob Abel


  Father of American pharmacology, founded first pharmacology department in United States at University of Michigan in 1890
• 20th century to present


  • Drugs synthesized in laboratory
  • Drugs tested for relatively short time
  • Increased understanding of how drugs produce their effects
  • Focus is on improvements in quality of life
• Pharmacology


  The study of medicine
• Interrelated subject areas


  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Chemistry
  • Microbiology
  • Pathophysiology
• There are 10,000 drugs currently available
• Factors that affect drug responses

  • Age
  • Sex
  • Body mass
  • Health status
  • Genetics
• Nursing and pharmacology


  • Knowledge of pharmacology is essential to the nursing profession
  • Nurses are health care providers most often directly involved in patient care
  • Study of pharmacology is a gradual process that continues throughout life
• Therapeutics


  Concerned with prevention of disease and treatment of suffering
• Pharmacotherapy


  The application of drugs for disease treatment and alleviation of suffering
• Traditional drugs


  Chemical agents synthesized in a laboratory that produce biological responses in the body
• Biologics


  Agents naturally produced in animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself
• Examples of biologics


  • Hormones
  • Monoclonal antibodies
  • Natural blood products and components
  • Interferons
  • Vaccines
• Complementary and alternative therapies

  • Natural plant extracts, herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements
  • Physical therapy, manipulations, massage, acupuncture, hypnosis, biofeedback
• Therapeutic classification of drugs

  Based on therapeutic usefulness in treating particular diseases or disorders
• Examples of therapeutic drug classifications

  • Antidepressants
  • Antipsychotics
  • Antineoplastics
• Pharmacologic classification of drugs

  Based on the way a drug works at the molecular, tissue, or body system level, addressing a drug's mechanism of action
• Examples of pharmacologic drug classifications

  • Diuretics
  • Calcium channel blockers
  • Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors
  • Adrenergic antagonists
  • Vasodilators
• Prototype drug


  A well-understood drug that serves as a model for a drug class, with known action and adverse effects, used to compare other drugs in the same pharmacologic class
• Newer drugs in the same class may replace the prototype drug because they are more effective, have a more favorable safety profile, or have a longer duration of action
• Names of drugs


  • Chemical
  • Generic
  • Trade
• Chemical name


  Assigned using standard nomenclature established by the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), describing the physical and chemical properties of the drug
• Chemical names are often complicated and difficult to remember or pronounce
• Chemical group name


  Drugs are sometimes classified by a portion of their chemical structure, such as phenothiazines, thiazides, and benzodiazepines
• Names a drug can have

  • Chemical
  • Generic
  • Trade
• Chemical name


  Assigned using standard nomenclature established by International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC), describes physical and chemical properties of drug, sometimes helpful in predicting a substance's physical and chemical properties
• Chemical names are often complicated, and difficult to remember or pronounce
• Chemical group name


  Drugs are sometimes classified by a portion of their chemical structure, can become invaluable to nursing students as they understand major drug actions and adverse side effects
• Generic name


  Assigned by the U.S. Adopted Name Council, less complicated and easier to remember, lowercase
• Each drug has one generic name
• Organizations that use the generic name

  • U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • U.S. Pharmacopoeia
  • World Health Organization (WHO)
• Trade name


  Assigned by company marketing the drug, short, easy to remember, also called proprietary, product, or brand name
• Drug developer has exclusive rights to name and market a new drug for 17 years in the United States
• After 17 years, competing companies may sell a generic equivalent drug, sometimes using a different name, which the FDA must approve
• Trade names are capitalized