NUR 2810 Week 1: Introduction to Pharmacology-
Exam Questions Solved 100% Correct
What is a drug?
any chemical that can affect living processes
Can any chemical be a drug?
YES b/c sufficiently high exposure = effect on life
What is pharmacology?
the study of drugs and their interactions with living systems
What is clinical pharmacology?
the study of drugs in humans (sick patients and healthy volunteers)
What is pharmacotherapeutics?
use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or to prevent pregnancy
What is the therapeutic range?
blood concentration at which a drug is effective without being toxic
What is half-life?
time it takes for half the drug to be eliminated from the body
What does half-life help to determine?
deosing frequency
What are drug classifications?
,drugs grouped by similar effects/mechanisms (e.g., antibiotics, beta-blockers)
What are the "big three" properties of an ideal drug?
1. effectiveness
2. safety
3. selectivity
What is the MOST important property of a drug?
effectiveness
What is drug effectiveness?
elicits the responses for which it is given
What is the criteria for a safe drug?
cannot produce harmful effects even if administered in very high doses and for a very long time
Can the risk of harmful effects of drugs be completely eliminated?
NO
How can the chance of harmful effects from drugs be reduced (2 ways)?
proper drug selection and dosing
What is drug selectivity?
elicits only the response for which it is given
Is there such thing as a fully selective drug?
NO → all drugs cause side effects
, What are 7 additional properties of an ideal drug?
1. Reversible: generally want drug actions to subside within appropriate time
2. Predictability: same dose produces same response in most patients
3. Easily administered: method (oral vs. injection) + convenience (once/day vs. more)
4. Lack of drug interactions (very few are free of significant interactions)
5. Low cost: less financial burden on patients AND health care systems
6. Chemical stability: prevents loss in effectiveness during storage
7. Simple generic name: easily pronounced and remembered
What is the exception to reversibility of a drug being an ideal property?
antibiotics → want continuing toxicity to microbes
Becuase patients respond to drugs uniquely, therapy must be ____________________.
individualized
What are 2 main benefits of easily administered medications (e.g., oral)?
↓ risk of harm and ↑ patient adherence to medication regimen
What is the therapeutic objective of drug therapy?
to provide maximum benefit with minimal harm
What is the ultimate concern when administering a drug?
intensity of the response
What are 4 factors that influence a drug response?
Exam Questions Solved 100% Correct
What is a drug?
any chemical that can affect living processes
Can any chemical be a drug?
YES b/c sufficiently high exposure = effect on life
What is pharmacology?
the study of drugs and their interactions with living systems
What is clinical pharmacology?
the study of drugs in humans (sick patients and healthy volunteers)
What is pharmacotherapeutics?
use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or to prevent pregnancy
What is the therapeutic range?
blood concentration at which a drug is effective without being toxic
What is half-life?
time it takes for half the drug to be eliminated from the body
What does half-life help to determine?
deosing frequency
What are drug classifications?
,drugs grouped by similar effects/mechanisms (e.g., antibiotics, beta-blockers)
What are the "big three" properties of an ideal drug?
1. effectiveness
2. safety
3. selectivity
What is the MOST important property of a drug?
effectiveness
What is drug effectiveness?
elicits the responses for which it is given
What is the criteria for a safe drug?
cannot produce harmful effects even if administered in very high doses and for a very long time
Can the risk of harmful effects of drugs be completely eliminated?
NO
How can the chance of harmful effects from drugs be reduced (2 ways)?
proper drug selection and dosing
What is drug selectivity?
elicits only the response for which it is given
Is there such thing as a fully selective drug?
NO → all drugs cause side effects
, What are 7 additional properties of an ideal drug?
1. Reversible: generally want drug actions to subside within appropriate time
2. Predictability: same dose produces same response in most patients
3. Easily administered: method (oral vs. injection) + convenience (once/day vs. more)
4. Lack of drug interactions (very few are free of significant interactions)
5. Low cost: less financial burden on patients AND health care systems
6. Chemical stability: prevents loss in effectiveness during storage
7. Simple generic name: easily pronounced and remembered
What is the exception to reversibility of a drug being an ideal property?
antibiotics → want continuing toxicity to microbes
Becuase patients respond to drugs uniquely, therapy must be ____________________.
individualized
What are 2 main benefits of easily administered medications (e.g., oral)?
↓ risk of harm and ↑ patient adherence to medication regimen
What is the therapeutic objective of drug therapy?
to provide maximum benefit with minimal harm
What is the ultimate concern when administering a drug?
intensity of the response
What are 4 factors that influence a drug response?
