PHARM

• Fluoroquinolones


  A group of drugs from the DNA synthesis inhibitor class that enter bacterial cells and prevent bacteria reproduction by suppressing the action of two enzymes important in making bacterial DNA
• Antibiotic resistance


  The ability of a bacterium to resist the effects of antibacterials
• Metabolism inhibitors


  A class of antibacterial drugs that interfere with bacterial reproduction by preventing the bacteria from making folic acid
• Bactericidal


  A drug that reduces the number of bacteria by killing them directly
• Protein synthesis inhibitors


  A large class of antibacterial drugs that includes aminoglycosides, macrolides, and tetracyclines, which prevent bacteria from making proteins important to their life cycles and infective processes
• Bacteriostatic


  A drug that reduces the number of bacteria by preventing them from dividing and growing rather than directly killing them
• Cell wall synthesis inhibitors


  • A class of antibacterial drugs that kills susceptible bacteria by preventing them from forming strong, protective cell walls
• Spectrum of efficacy


  A measure of how many different types of bacteria a drug can kill or prevent from growing
• Drug generation


  Stage of drug development in which later generations are changed slightly to improve their effectiveness or means of administration
• Susceptible organisms


  Bacteria or other organisms that either can be killed by or have their reproduction reduced by an antibacterial drug
• Virulence


  The measure of how well bacteria can invade and spread despite a normal immune response