PHARMACOLOGY

 

 

DRUGS 

 

A.     CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCES USED FOR:

 

     1.     PREVENTION OR TREATMENT OF DISEASES

 

     2.     ALTER BODILY FUNCTIONS IN A BENEFICIAL WAY

 

B.     ORIGINATE FROM:

 

     1.     PLANTS - ROOTS, LEAVES, ETC.

 

     2.     ANIMALS - HORMONE SECRETIONS

 

     3.     CHEMICALS - PRODUCED IN THE LABORATORY

 

     4.     FOODS - VITAMINS

 

 

PHARMACOLOGY SUBDIVISIONS:

 

 

A.     CHEMOTHERAPY - STUDY OF DRUGS THAT ARE USED TO TREAT:

 

     1.     INFECTIOUS DISEASES CAUSED BY BACTERIA, FUNGI, PARASITES, VIRUSES

 

     2.     CANCERS (MALIGNANT CELLS)

 

B.     TOXICOLOGY (STUDY OF POISON) - STUDY OF HARMFUL CHEMICALS AND THEIR EFFECTS ON THE BODY

 

 

ADMINISTRATION OF DRUGS

 

A.   ORAL - GIVEN BY MOUTH AND ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM

 

B.     SUBLINGUAL - PLACED UNDER THE TONGUE AND DISSOLVES IN SALIVA

 

C.     RECTAL - SUPPOSITORIES AND AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS INSERTED INTO THE RECTUM

 

D.     PARENTERAL

 

     1.     SUBCUTANEOUS - INJECTED BENEATH THE SKIN

 

     2.     INTRADERMAL - SHALLOW INJECTION INTO UPPER LAYERS OF SKIN

 

     3.     INTRAMUSCULAR - INJECTED INTO MUSCLE; e.g.BUTTOCK OR UPPER ARM

 

     4.     INTRAVENOUS - INJECTED DIRECTLY INTO A VEIN

 

     5.     INTRATHECAL - INJECTED INTO SPACE UNDERLYING MENINGES THAT SURROUND BRAIN AND SPINAL CORD

 

E.     INHALATION - VAPORS/GASES TAKEN INTO NOSE OR MOUTH ARE ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM THROUGH THE THIN ALVEOLAR WALLS (AIR SACS)

 

F.     TOPICAL - APPLIED ON THE SKIN OR MUCOUS MEMBRANES

 

CLASSES OF DRUGS

 

A.     ANALGESICS - RELIEVES PAIN, e.g., TYLENOL

 

B.     ANESTHETICS - REDUCE OR ELIMINATE SENSATIONS

 

     1.     GENERAL - LOSS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

 

     2.     LOCAL - e.g., DENTAL PROCEDURES

 

C.     ANTIBIOTICS - INHIBIT OR STOP GROWTH OF MICROORGANISMS (BACTERIA, FUNGI, PARASITES)

 

D.     ANTICOAGULANT - PREVENTS CLOTTING OF BLOOD

 

E.     CARDIOVASCULAR

 

     1.     ANTIARRHYTHMICS - CORRECTS ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHMS

 

     2.     ANTIHYPERTENSIVE - LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE BY DILATING WALLS OF BLOOD VESSELS

 

F.     GASTROINTESTINAL

 

     1.     ANTIDIARRHEAL - RELIEVES DIARRHEA AND RAPID MOVEMENT OF WALLS OF THE COLON

 

     2.     ANTINAUSEANTS/ANTIEMETICS - RELIEVE NAUSEA AND VOMITING

 

Memorize Page 829 abbreviations chart/table

Do not need to memorize specific names of drugs e.g. lovastatin (Mevacor)