Surgical Pharmacology
3 sources of drugs - ANS 1. natural
2. chemical synthesis
3. biotechnology
chemical synthesis - ANS synthesized drugs; put together in a lab
Ex. Demerol
natural - ANS from plants, animals, and minerals
Ex. plants: Atropine & Morphine
animals: pigs=porcine; cows=bovine (insulin)
minerals: calcium, magnesium
biotechnology - ANS process that allows production of proteins from bacteria; used to refer to
the concept go genetic engineering and recombinant DNS technology
Ex. insulin (Humulin) & Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
4 drug classifications - ANS 1. therapeutic action
2. physiological action
3. affected body system
4. chemical type
therapeutic action - ANS what the drug does for the patient; Ex. analgesic relieves pain
physiological action - ANS what the drug does in the body; Ex. histamine receptor antagonists
block histamine production
affected body system - ANS what the drug affects; Ex. cardiovascular agents affect the heart
and circulatory system
chemical type - ANS what the drug is for; Ex. barbiturates are a class of chemical compounds
derived from barbituric acid
barbiturates - ANS drugs that act as CNS depressants; Ex. Valium, Versed, Xanax, Ativan
standing orders (surgery) - ANS protocol (a common situation) on preference card
verbal order (surgery) - ANS usually one time only; patient specific
spoken and documented in patient's record
stat order (surgery) - ANS immediately; one time only
Ex. during cardiac arrest
the dosage of medication - ANS medication strength X volume or amount administered
unit of measure usually metric system: mg, mL, units
drug errors - ANS responsible for up to 7,000 deaths per year
-negligence to label
-incorrect drug knowledge
drug forms - ANS -solids
-semisolids
-liquids
-gases
solids - ANS given orally (capsules, tablets)
semisolids - ANS creams, foams, gels, ung (ointment), suppositories
liquid - ANS solutions, suspension
gases - ANS inhalation
, Which drug form acts the fastest? Slowest? - ANS festest=gases
slowest=solids
IM - ANS intramuscularly
IV - ANS intravenously
PO, po - ANS Per os, orally (by mouth)
cap - ANS capsule
gtts - ANS drops
soln - ANS solution
susp - ANS suspension
tab - ANS tablet
ung - ANS ointment
aa - ANS of each
ad - ANS to, up to
ad lib - ANS as desired
amt - ANS amount
c (with line over it) - ANS with
KVO, TKO - ANS keep vein open, to keep open
npo, NPO - ANS nothing by mouth (nil per os)
per - ANS by means of, by
Rx - ANS take
s (with line over it) - ANS without
sig - ANS label
sos - ANS once if necessary
stat - ANS immediately
local effect - ANS topical agents that work at the sight of application
Ex. steroid creams, antibiotic ointments
systemic effect - ANS topical agents that work throughout the entire body
Ex. Nicoderm patches, Scopolamine patches (motion sickness), Estradiol patches (hormone
replacement therapy)
Topical agents that are applied to a mucous membrane lined cavity work quicker than if applied
to skin.
TRUE/FALSE - ANS TRUE because the blood supply is higher here
There are two categories of medication administration routes. - ANS 1. enteral
2. parenteral
enteral route - ANS the medication is taken into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, primarily by
mouth
parenteral route - ANS any route other than digestive tract, the most common of which are
topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous
intrathecal - ANS pertaining to an injection through the dura mater into the subarachnoid space
and cerebrospinal fluid in the lumbar area of the spine
intra-articular - ANS joint injection
intracardiac - ANS injections that are given directly into the heart muscles or ventricles
buccally - ANS route of administration by which drugs are held or applied in the buccal area (in
the cheek)
3 sources of drugs - ANS 1. natural
2. chemical synthesis
3. biotechnology
chemical synthesis - ANS synthesized drugs; put together in a lab
Ex. Demerol
natural - ANS from plants, animals, and minerals
Ex. plants: Atropine & Morphine
animals: pigs=porcine; cows=bovine (insulin)
minerals: calcium, magnesium
biotechnology - ANS process that allows production of proteins from bacteria; used to refer to
the concept go genetic engineering and recombinant DNS technology
Ex. insulin (Humulin) & Human Growth Hormone (HGH)
4 drug classifications - ANS 1. therapeutic action
2. physiological action
3. affected body system
4. chemical type
therapeutic action - ANS what the drug does for the patient; Ex. analgesic relieves pain
physiological action - ANS what the drug does in the body; Ex. histamine receptor antagonists
block histamine production
affected body system - ANS what the drug affects; Ex. cardiovascular agents affect the heart
and circulatory system
chemical type - ANS what the drug is for; Ex. barbiturates are a class of chemical compounds
derived from barbituric acid
barbiturates - ANS drugs that act as CNS depressants; Ex. Valium, Versed, Xanax, Ativan
standing orders (surgery) - ANS protocol (a common situation) on preference card
verbal order (surgery) - ANS usually one time only; patient specific
spoken and documented in patient's record
stat order (surgery) - ANS immediately; one time only
Ex. during cardiac arrest
the dosage of medication - ANS medication strength X volume or amount administered
unit of measure usually metric system: mg, mL, units
drug errors - ANS responsible for up to 7,000 deaths per year
-negligence to label
-incorrect drug knowledge
drug forms - ANS -solids
-semisolids
-liquids
-gases
solids - ANS given orally (capsules, tablets)
semisolids - ANS creams, foams, gels, ung (ointment), suppositories
liquid - ANS solutions, suspension
gases - ANS inhalation
, Which drug form acts the fastest? Slowest? - ANS festest=gases
slowest=solids
IM - ANS intramuscularly
IV - ANS intravenously
PO, po - ANS Per os, orally (by mouth)
cap - ANS capsule
gtts - ANS drops
soln - ANS solution
susp - ANS suspension
tab - ANS tablet
ung - ANS ointment
aa - ANS of each
ad - ANS to, up to
ad lib - ANS as desired
amt - ANS amount
c (with line over it) - ANS with
KVO, TKO - ANS keep vein open, to keep open
npo, NPO - ANS nothing by mouth (nil per os)
per - ANS by means of, by
Rx - ANS take
s (with line over it) - ANS without
sig - ANS label
sos - ANS once if necessary
stat - ANS immediately
local effect - ANS topical agents that work at the sight of application
Ex. steroid creams, antibiotic ointments
systemic effect - ANS topical agents that work throughout the entire body
Ex. Nicoderm patches, Scopolamine patches (motion sickness), Estradiol patches (hormone
replacement therapy)
Topical agents that are applied to a mucous membrane lined cavity work quicker than if applied
to skin.
TRUE/FALSE - ANS TRUE because the blood supply is higher here
There are two categories of medication administration routes. - ANS 1. enteral
2. parenteral
enteral route - ANS the medication is taken into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, primarily by
mouth
parenteral route - ANS any route other than digestive tract, the most common of which are
topical, subcutaneous, intramuscular, and intravenous
intrathecal - ANS pertaining to an injection through the dura mater into the subarachnoid space
and cerebrospinal fluid in the lumbar area of the spine
intra-articular - ANS joint injection
intracardiac - ANS injections that are given directly into the heart muscles or ventricles
buccally - ANS route of administration by which drugs are held or applied in the buccal area (in
the cheek)
