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Chapter 2 Pharmacologic Principles
Vocabulary
Additive effects-Drug intereactions where the effect of combination of 2 or more drugs with
similar actions is greater than alone. (synergistic effects)
Adverse drug event- Any undesirable occurrence related to administering or failing to
administer a prescribed medication.
Adverse drug reaction- Any unexpected, unintended, undesired , or excessive response to
medication given at therapeutic dosages (not overdose).
Adverse effects- A general term for any undesirable effects that are direct response to 1 or
more drugs.
Agonist-drug that binds to and stimulates activity of 1 or more receptors in body.
Allergic reaction- Immunologic hypersensitivity reaction resulting from unusual sensitivity of
patient to particular medication (adverse effect).
Antagonist- drug that binds and inhibits activity of 1 or more receptors in body (inhibitors).
Antagonistic effects- Drug interactions where effect of combining 2 drugs is less than the sum
of individual effects, caused by antagonizing effect of drugs on each other (blocking/ reducing).
Bioavailability- Measure of extent of drug absorption for given drug and route, 0-100%.
Biotransformation- 1 or more biochemical reactions involving parent drug, occur mainly in liver &
produces metabolite that is inactive/active, (also metabolism).
Blood-brain barrier- barrier system restricts passage of various chemicals & microscopic
entities between bloodstream & central nervous system, allows essential substances (O 2) to
pass.
Chemical name- name describes chemical composition & molecular structure of drug.
Contraindication- Any condition, i.e. disease state/ patient characteristic, including
current/recent drug therapy, renders particular form of treatment improper/ undesirable.
Cytochrome- gen. name for large class of enzymes that play significant role in drug metabolism.
Dependence- state where compulsive/ chronic need, like for drug.
Dissolution- process where solid form of drugs disintegrate in gastrointestinal tract & become
soluble before being absorbed into circulation.
Drug- Any chemical that affects physiologic process of living organism.
Drug actions- Cellular processes involved in interaction between drug & body cells.
Drug effects- Physiologic reactions of body to drug, can be therapeutic/ toxic & described how
function of body is affected as whole by drug. Onset, peak, & duration describe it.
Drug-induced teratogenesis- development of congenital anomalies or defects in developing fetus
caused by toxic effects of drugs.
Drug interaction- alteration in pharmacologic activity of given drug caused by presence of
1/more additional drugs; usually related to effects on enzymes for metabolism of drug.
Duration of action- length of time concentration of drug in blood/ tissues enough for response.
Enzymes- protein molecules that catalyze 1/more variety of biochemical reactions, include
related to body’s own physiologic processes & related to drug metabolism.
First-pass effect- initial metabolism in liver of drug absorbed from gastrointestinal tract
before drug reaches systemic circulation thru bloodstream.
Generic name- name given to drug by US Adopted Names Council. (nonproprietary name). Much
shorter & simpler and not protected by trademark.
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Half-life-pharmacokinetics, time required for ½ of administered dose to leave body, or blood
level of drug reduced by 50% (elimination half liefe)
Idiosyncratic reaction- abnormal & unexpected response to medication, other than allergic
reaction, peculiar to individual patient.
Incompatibility- characteristic causes 2 parenteral drugs/ solutions to undergo reaction when
mixed/ given together that results in chemical deterioration of drugs.
Intraarticular- in a joint, i.e. int. injection.
Intrathecal- in a sheath (theca of spinal cord, like intrathecal injection to subarachnoid space).
Medicaton error- preventable adverse drug event involving inappropriate medication use by
patient or health care professional, may/ may not cause patient harm.
Medication use process- prescribing, dispensing, administering medications & monitoring
effects.
Metabolite- chemical form of drug that is product of 1 or more biochemical (metabolic)
reactions involving parent drug. Active are those that have pharmacologic activity of own, even
in parent drug is inactive. Inactive lack activity and are drug waste products awaiting excretion.
Onset of action- time required for drug to elicit therapeutic response after dosing.
Parent drug- chemical form of drug that is administered before metabolized by body’s
biochemical reactions into active/ inactive metabolites. Parent drug that’s not pharmacologically
active active is a prodrug & then metabolized to pharmacologically active metabolites.
Peak effect- time required for drug to reach maximum therapeutic response in body.
Peak level- mxm concentration of drug in body after administration, usually measured in blood
sample for therapeutic drug monitoring.
Pharmaceutics- science of preparing & dispencing drugs, including dosage form design.
Pharmacodynamics- study of biochemical & physiologic interactions of drugs at sites of activity,
examines physicochemical properties of drugs & pharmacologic interactions w/ body receptors.
Pharmacogenetics- study of influence of genetic factors on drug response, nature of genetic
aberrations that result in absence, overabundance, insufficiency of drug-metabolizing enzymes.
Pharmacognosy- study of drugs that obtained from natural plant & animal sources.
Pharmacokinetics- rate of drug distribution among various body compartments after drug has
entered body. Includes phases of absorption, distribution, metabolism, & excretion.
Pharmacology- broadest term for study/ science of drugs.
Pharmacotherapeutics- treatment of pathologic conditions thru drugs.
Prodrug- inactive drug dosage form that converts to active metabolite by various biochemical
reactions inside body.
Receptor- molecular structure in/outer surface of cell, bind substances & cellular effect occur
as result of interactions.
Steady state- physiologic state where amount of drug removed via elimination= to amount of
drug absorbed in each dose.
Substrates- substances, drugs or natural biochemicals in body, where enzymes act.
Synergistic effects- drug interactions where effect of combo of 2 or more drugs with similar
actions is greater than sue of individual effects of same drugs. (additive effects)
Therapeutic drug monitoring- process of measuring drug peak & trough levels to gauge level of
patient’s drug exposure & allows adjustment of dosages w/ goals of maximizing therapeutic
effects & minimizing toxicity.
Therapeutic effect- desired/ intended effect of particular medication.
Therapeutic index- ratio between toxic & therapeutic concentrations of drug.
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Tolerance- reduced response to drug after prolonged use.
Toxic- quality of being poisonous, injurious or dangerous to life.
Toxicity- condition of producing adverse bodily effects due to poisonous qualities.
Toxicology- study of poisons, includes toxic drug effects, & applicable treatments.
Trade name- commercial name given to drug by manufacturer, proprietary name.
Trough level- lowest concentration of drug reached in body after falls from peak level,
measured in blood sample for therapeutic drug monitoring.