drugs

• Dose


  The amount of medication to be administered
• Posology


  The study of dosage and the criteria, which influence it
• Terms used in connection with doses

  • Therapeutic dose
  • Dosage range
  • Minimum dose
  • Maximum dose
  • Toxic dose
  • Minimum lethal dose
• Therapeutic dose


  The usual dose or average dose, it is the amount needed to produce the desired therapeutic effect
• Dosage range


  The range between the minimum amount of drug and the maximum amount of drug required to produce the desired effect
• Minimum dose


  The least amount of drug required to produce a therapeutic effect
• Maximum dose


  The largest amount of drug that can be given without reaching the toxic effect
• Toxic dose


  The least amount of drug that will produce symptoms of poisoning
• Minimum lethal dose

  The least amount of drug that can produce death
• Factors affecting drug effect

  • Age
  • Weight
  • Gender
  • Time of administration
  • Immune response
  • Tolerance
  • Accumulation
  • Pathological factors
  • Psychological factors
• Other factors affecting drug effect

  • Genetic make-up (nationality, race)
  • Occupation
  • Habitual use
  • Frequency of administration
  • Mode of administration
• Calculating desired dose


  Desired dose x quantity of on-hand dose = desired dose
• Analgesic

  Any member of the diverse group of drugs used to relieve pain (achieve analgesia)
• Analgesics

  • Act in various ways on the peripheral and central nervous systems
  • Include paracetamol (acetaminophen), non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), narcotic drugs, and various others
• Major classes of analgesics

  • Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as Paracetamol
  • Narcotic Analgesics
• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

  Inhibit cyclooxygenases, leading to a decrease in prostaglandin production, reducing pain and inflammation
• Paracetamol


  The exact mechanism of action is uncertain, but it appears to be acting centrally
• Paracetamol


  • Has few side effects and is regarded as very safe, although excessive doses can lead to kidney and liver damage
• NSAIDs


  • Predispose to peptic ulcers, renal failure, allergic reactions, and can increase the risk of hemorrhage by affecting platelet function
• Narcotic Analgesics


  There are two types: opiates (alkaloids found in opium) and opioids (derivatives of opiates)
• Classes of opioids


  • Endogenous opioid peptides
  • Opium alkaloids
  • Semi-synthetic opioids
  • Fully synthetic opioids
• Opioids


  • Used in medicine as strong analgesics, for relief of severe or chronic pain
  • There is no upper limit for the dosage, but the dose must be increased gradually to allow for the development of tolerance to adverse effects
• Common cold

  An infection of the nose and throat caused by viruses
• Symptoms of the common cold

  • Runny nose
  • Cough
  • Nasal congestion
  • Sore or itchy throat
  • Sneezing
  • Watery eyes
  • Mild headache
  • Mild fatigue or body aches
  • Fever less than 102 degrees
• Remedies for the common cold

  • Keep the body warm
  • Take ginger juice with honey
  • Mix warm water with lemon juice and honey
  • Chew fresh ginger with salt
  • Take a powder of cardamom, ginger, black pepper and cinnamon
  • Chew cloves, cardamoms or raisins for sore throat
  • Gargle with warm salty water
• Foods and activities to avoid with a cold


  • Cold foods and drinks
  • Ice cream, sweets, fried foods
  • Milk products
  • Sweet fruit juices
  • Breads
  • Meats
  • Nuts
  • Pastries
  • Sleeping during the day
  • Taking a cold shower
  • Exposure to cold wind, fans, air conditioners
• Foods and activities to have with a cold

  • Boiled or steamed vegetables
  • Vegetable soup
  • Spice teas
  • Herbal teas
  • Hot milk with crushed ginger
  • Turmeric powder in milk
• Antipyretic


  A drug that reduces body temperature in situations such as fever
• How antipyretics work


  • Cause the hypothalamus to override an interleukin-induced increase in temperature
  • Reduce prostaglandin synthesis in the hypothalamus by inhibiting the effect of endogenous or microbial pyrogens on the heat regulating sensors
• Febrifuge


  Herbal remedies with a fever-reducing effect, such as catnip, chamomile, sage, wormwood and yarrow
• Alcohol is not recommended as a febrifuge, as it can be transferred through the skin and affect the liver, and it slightly raises the body temperature before bringing it down