RNSG 1301 Pharmacology WELL ELABORATED RATED A+
Additive Effect (Response?) -(ANSWER) 1+1=2 pharm drug interaction: The effect of two
chemicals is equal to the sum of the effect of the two chemicals taken separately. This is usually
due to the two chemicals acting on the body in the same way. Two drugs from a similar
therapeutic class produce a combined summation response. This is used extensively when
treating hypertension. A diuretic may be used to lower systolic blood pressure and a beta blocker
may be added to the regimen to produce an additional reduction. combined the two drugs
produce a larger reduction than they do separately. Keeping the doses low, yet combining them
produces a larger effect and cuts down on potential adverse events. PP: Drug Interactions: The
response elicited by combined drugs = the combined responses of the individual drugs 1 + 1 = 2
Adverse Reaction -(ANSWER) pg 66 adverse drug effect is an undesirable and potentially
harmful action caused by the administration of medication. (Adverse events). Serious effects that
are harmful. May be specific to a single type of tissue or affect multiple organ systems. Worse
than side effect. As dose increases, risk of adverse effects increase. Teach patients about adverse
effects to help prevent them. DFA monitors for new adverse events after approval and marketed.
(Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) to report suspected adverse effects. PP: Drugs affect
other sites in the body in addition to that for which they were prescribed & evoke a variety of
responses in these sites. Adverse affects of drugs: (Side effects, Toxic Effects, Allergic reactions,
Idiosyncratic effects).
Agonist -(ANSWER) 1+1 = less than: Drug interaction: The sum of two chemicals is actually
less than the sum of the effect of the two drugs taken independently of each other. This is
because the second chemical increases the excretion of the first, or even directly blocks its toxic
actions. Agonist, partial agonists, and antagonists compete for cellular receptors and can modify
drug action. A drug that activates a receptor and produces the SAME type of response as the
endogenous substance. Sometimes produce a greater maximal response than the endogenous
chemical. PP: Giving > 1 drug with same action as the therapeutic effect (cumulative effect)
Pharmacodynamics: Receptor theory: Drugs that produce a therapeutic response. May be strong
or weak; response varies by drug & other factors. Most are not specific to one site but produce
similar effects on similar cells through the body. These are nonspecific or nonselective. Agonists
bind to the receptor
for drug effect.
Antagonist, antagonistic drug effect -(ANSWER) Agonist, partial agonist, and antagonists
compete for cellular receptors and can modify drug action. Antagonist is a drug that occupy a
receptor and prevent the endogenous chemical from binding to produce its action. Often
competes with agonist for receptor binding sites. May be used when the body is producing too
much of a response from an endogenous chemical or from a drug over dose. (no intrinsic
activity-actions observed after admin are caused by lack of agonist action). Not all antagonist
bind to receptors, some may slow absorption of an agonist, resulting in less pharm effect. May
change the ph to neutralize the agonist before absorbed. The antagonist-agonist relationship
explain many of the drug-drug and drug-food interactions that occur. PP:Block a receptor site
from agonist (oppose effect of another drug, of histamine (allergy), of gastric acid (ulcers), etc.)
Page | 1
, Drug Interactions: Antagonism: A drug inhibits the effect of another drug but usually has no
activity of its own 1 + 0 = 0.
Depressant -(ANSWER) A depressant, or central depressant, is a drug or endogenous compound
that lowers neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in
various areas
*Enteric* Coating (EC) -(ANSWER) Oral Meds: _____ coating is a hard, waxy drug covering
that helps to protect the drug from strongly acidic stomach contents, and is designed to dissolve
in the alkaline environment of the small intestine. Some drugs use this coating because the drug
agents will irritate the stomach mucousa if dissolved in the stomach. To insure the above listed
information, these drugs should never be chewed, crushed, or opened. PP: Intended to prevent
dissolving in stomach; dissolve in intestine instead to prevent injury to stomach lining. Onset of
action is longer.
Labeled as EC.
Brand Name, Trade Name, or Proprietary Product (Name). -(ANSWER) A drug's Brand Name,
Trade Name, or Proprietary Product is assigned by the pharmaceutical company marketing the
drug. This name is short and easy for patients to remember (and ask for by name). There may be
several different of these names for each Generic name of drug. The generic drug is not always
bioequivalent-Trade and generic product have the same rate of absorption and have the same
onset of therapeutic action. The key to comparing brand-name drugs and their generic is
*bioavailability*(- rate and extent to which the active ingredient is absorbed from a drug product
and becomes available at the site of drug action to produce its effect) of the two drugs. This can
be affected y inert ingredients and tablet compression. Anything that affects absorption, travel to
target cells can affect drug action. measuring how long a drug takes to exert its effect *(onset
time)* gives pharmacologists a crud measure of bioavailability. PP: Registered trademark and
indicates that its commercial use is limited to that company. The developing company has a
patent for 7-10 years and no one else can sell a generic. After that time, others can apply to
market new generics with the same active ingredient and the price falls substantially.
Half-life and effect on drug dosing schedules -(ANSWER) PP: The amount of time required for
the plasma concentration of the drug to decrease by 50% after it's given. If we inject 100mg of a
drug with a half-life of 4 hours, after four-hours, only 50mg is still active. After another four
hours, the drug is still in the body but another half-life has expired. The total active dosage will
be around 25mg. It may take several half-lives before the drug is completely inactive.
http://www.steroid.com/halflife.php
Varies by drug and preparation. Short: 4-8 hours
Long: 24 hours or more. Affects half-life:
Hydration
Gender
Menstrual cycle
Biorhythm
Enzyme activity
Age
Nutrition
Page | 2
Additive Effect (Response?) -(ANSWER) 1+1=2 pharm drug interaction: The effect of two
chemicals is equal to the sum of the effect of the two chemicals taken separately. This is usually
due to the two chemicals acting on the body in the same way. Two drugs from a similar
therapeutic class produce a combined summation response. This is used extensively when
treating hypertension. A diuretic may be used to lower systolic blood pressure and a beta blocker
may be added to the regimen to produce an additional reduction. combined the two drugs
produce a larger reduction than they do separately. Keeping the doses low, yet combining them
produces a larger effect and cuts down on potential adverse events. PP: Drug Interactions: The
response elicited by combined drugs = the combined responses of the individual drugs 1 + 1 = 2
Adverse Reaction -(ANSWER) pg 66 adverse drug effect is an undesirable and potentially
harmful action caused by the administration of medication. (Adverse events). Serious effects that
are harmful. May be specific to a single type of tissue or affect multiple organ systems. Worse
than side effect. As dose increases, risk of adverse effects increase. Teach patients about adverse
effects to help prevent them. DFA monitors for new adverse events after approval and marketed.
(Adverse Event Reporting System (AERS) to report suspected adverse effects. PP: Drugs affect
other sites in the body in addition to that for which they were prescribed & evoke a variety of
responses in these sites. Adverse affects of drugs: (Side effects, Toxic Effects, Allergic reactions,
Idiosyncratic effects).
Agonist -(ANSWER) 1+1 = less than: Drug interaction: The sum of two chemicals is actually
less than the sum of the effect of the two drugs taken independently of each other. This is
because the second chemical increases the excretion of the first, or even directly blocks its toxic
actions. Agonist, partial agonists, and antagonists compete for cellular receptors and can modify
drug action. A drug that activates a receptor and produces the SAME type of response as the
endogenous substance. Sometimes produce a greater maximal response than the endogenous
chemical. PP: Giving > 1 drug with same action as the therapeutic effect (cumulative effect)
Pharmacodynamics: Receptor theory: Drugs that produce a therapeutic response. May be strong
or weak; response varies by drug & other factors. Most are not specific to one site but produce
similar effects on similar cells through the body. These are nonspecific or nonselective. Agonists
bind to the receptor
for drug effect.
Antagonist, antagonistic drug effect -(ANSWER) Agonist, partial agonist, and antagonists
compete for cellular receptors and can modify drug action. Antagonist is a drug that occupy a
receptor and prevent the endogenous chemical from binding to produce its action. Often
competes with agonist for receptor binding sites. May be used when the body is producing too
much of a response from an endogenous chemical or from a drug over dose. (no intrinsic
activity-actions observed after admin are caused by lack of agonist action). Not all antagonist
bind to receptors, some may slow absorption of an agonist, resulting in less pharm effect. May
change the ph to neutralize the agonist before absorbed. The antagonist-agonist relationship
explain many of the drug-drug and drug-food interactions that occur. PP:Block a receptor site
from agonist (oppose effect of another drug, of histamine (allergy), of gastric acid (ulcers), etc.)
Page | 1
, Drug Interactions: Antagonism: A drug inhibits the effect of another drug but usually has no
activity of its own 1 + 0 = 0.
Depressant -(ANSWER) A depressant, or central depressant, is a drug or endogenous compound
that lowers neurotransmission levels, which is to depress or reduce arousal or stimulation, in
various areas
*Enteric* Coating (EC) -(ANSWER) Oral Meds: _____ coating is a hard, waxy drug covering
that helps to protect the drug from strongly acidic stomach contents, and is designed to dissolve
in the alkaline environment of the small intestine. Some drugs use this coating because the drug
agents will irritate the stomach mucousa if dissolved in the stomach. To insure the above listed
information, these drugs should never be chewed, crushed, or opened. PP: Intended to prevent
dissolving in stomach; dissolve in intestine instead to prevent injury to stomach lining. Onset of
action is longer.
Labeled as EC.
Brand Name, Trade Name, or Proprietary Product (Name). -(ANSWER) A drug's Brand Name,
Trade Name, or Proprietary Product is assigned by the pharmaceutical company marketing the
drug. This name is short and easy for patients to remember (and ask for by name). There may be
several different of these names for each Generic name of drug. The generic drug is not always
bioequivalent-Trade and generic product have the same rate of absorption and have the same
onset of therapeutic action. The key to comparing brand-name drugs and their generic is
*bioavailability*(- rate and extent to which the active ingredient is absorbed from a drug product
and becomes available at the site of drug action to produce its effect) of the two drugs. This can
be affected y inert ingredients and tablet compression. Anything that affects absorption, travel to
target cells can affect drug action. measuring how long a drug takes to exert its effect *(onset
time)* gives pharmacologists a crud measure of bioavailability. PP: Registered trademark and
indicates that its commercial use is limited to that company. The developing company has a
patent for 7-10 years and no one else can sell a generic. After that time, others can apply to
market new generics with the same active ingredient and the price falls substantially.
Half-life and effect on drug dosing schedules -(ANSWER) PP: The amount of time required for
the plasma concentration of the drug to decrease by 50% after it's given. If we inject 100mg of a
drug with a half-life of 4 hours, after four-hours, only 50mg is still active. After another four
hours, the drug is still in the body but another half-life has expired. The total active dosage will
be around 25mg. It may take several half-lives before the drug is completely inactive.
http://www.steroid.com/halflife.php
Varies by drug and preparation. Short: 4-8 hours
Long: 24 hours or more. Affects half-life:
Hydration
Gender
Menstrual cycle
Biorhythm
Enzyme activity
Age
Nutrition
Page | 2
