Intro to Pharmacology Quiz NUPN 1010

Introduction to Pharmacology, Pathophysiology & Medication Administration Concepts

• Course title: Intro to Pharmacology, Pathophysiology & Medication Administration Concepts
• Course code: NUPN 1010
• Semester: Winter 2025
• Topics covered: Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

Quiz Time

• Students need to answer questions and return the quiz to the instructor

Class Objectives

• CSLO16: Explore and identify basic pharmacological terms
• CSLO17: Define and describe medication classifications
• CSLO18: Explore and articulate the Pharmacokinetic process
• CSLO19: Explore and articulate the Pharmacodynamic of medications
• CSLO20: Distinguish various medication names

Reading Requirements

• Lewis, S.L., et al (2019); Potter, P. A., Perry, A. G., et al (2019). Chapter 34 P: 728-756 (Recommended)
• Holland, L., Adams, M.P., Brice, J.L. (2015) p.3-5; 15-21 (Recommended)

Pharmacology and Medication

• Pharmacology: The study of medications/drugs
• In Greek:
  • Pharmakon → Medicine
  • Logos → Study
• Medications: Chemical products producing biological responses within the body to treat/prevent diseases
• Uses of medications/drugs:
  • Prevention
  • Diagnosis
  • Treatment of diseases/health conditions

Medicines Classification

• Traditional Drugs:
  • Synthetically produced in laboratories
  • Routinely prescribed and administered by healthcare workers
• Biologics:
  • Naturally produced by the human body, animal cells, or microorganisms
  • Routinely prescribed and administered by healthcare workers
• Natural Alternative Therapies:
  • Naturally produced (herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements)
  • Manipulative and body-based practices (physical therapy, massage)
  • Hypnosis
  • Acupuncture

Pharmacological Concepts

• Drug Names:
  • Chemical, trade, generic names; Medications often have multiple names
• Therapeutic Classification:
  • Medications classified based on their pharmacological mechanisms and preferred effects
• Medication Forms:
  • Solid, liquid, topical, instillation into body cavities, parenteral (e.g., injections)

Drug Names (Details)

• Chemical Name: Based on the drug's chemical structure and components (e.g., (RS)-2-(4-(2-methylpropyl phenyl) propanoic acid)
• Generic Name: Single name used globally (e.g., Ibuprofen)
• Trade Name: Brand name marketed by manufacturers (e.g., Advil, Motrin)

Therapeutic Classification (Examples)

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID): Ibuprofen, Diclofenac
• Anti-infective: Penicillin
• Immunostimulant: Vaccines
• Immunosuppressants: Cyclosporine
• Nonopioid Analgesics: Acetaminophen
• Opioid Analgesics: Fentanyl

Medication Forms/Availability

• Solid (tablets, capsules)
• Liquid (syrups, drops)
• Topical (ointments)
• Transdermal (patches)
• Parenteral (ampules, vials)
• Instillation into body cavities (suppositories)
• Inhalation (sprays)

What are the trade/generic names

• Trade names: e.g. Advil, Motrin
• Generic names: e.g. Ibuprofen

What does happen when we take medication?

• Pharmacokinetics: How the body changes the medication (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)
• Pharmacodynamics: How the medication changes the body (mechanism of action)

Pharmacokinectics (Definition)

• The study of how medications enter, reach their site of action, metabolize and exit the body

Putting it all together

• Video resource available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jiml3iGBs88 (3.47 min)

Pharmacokinetics: How Body Changes Medication

• The steps involved are Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion (ADME)

Factors Influencing Absorption

• Route of administration (e.g., oral, intravenous)
• Medication's ability to dissolve
• Stomach contents
• Blood flow to the administration site
• Body surface area
• Lipid solubility of medication

What Factors Influence Distribution

• Circulation
• Membrane permeability
• Anatomic barriers (blood-brain barrier, blood-placenta barrier)
• Protein Binding and its risk implications
• Bioavailability

How does Bioavailability affect Medication?

• Bioavailability: The proportion of a drug that enters the bloodstream and has an active effect.
• Factors that determine bioavailability: absorption, first-pass metabolism

Pharmacokinectics: Metabolism

• Biotransformation: The liver is the main site for metabolizing drugs; it converts active forms into less active or inactive forms for easier removal from the body.
• Where does it occur besides the liver? Lungs, Kidneys, Blood and Intestine
• Specialized structures in these organs will oxidize and transform many toxic substances.

Factors influencing metabolism in the body

• First pass effect (drugs are metabolized in the liver before reaching the systemic circulation)
• Age, genetics, gender, BMI, kidney and liver disease influence metabolism rates.

Bioavailability (Details)

• The proportion of a drug reaching a site of action.
• Factors that determine bioavailability include absorption and first-pass metabolism.
• Different routes of administration influence bioavailability.

Critical Thinking Questions: Bioavailability

• Which has more bioavailability, a tablet by mouth or a suppository? Why?
• Which has more bioavailability, a pill or an injection? Why?
• How to choose what's right for a patient?

What happens in liver disease regarding medications?

• Liver disease impacts medication metabolism, potentially leading to adverse effects due to slowed or altered metabolism.

Pharmacokinectics: Excretion

• How drugs are removed from the body

• Kidneys (primary organ) --> urine

• Liver --> bile

• Bowels (defecation)

• Lungs, Excerine glands (sweating, milk)

• Role of kidneys: removing non-natural and harmful agents from the bloodstream and keeping balance of other natural substances

What happens when a kidney doesn't function properly?

Why is Pharmacokinectics Important?

• Providing information to the nurse about how the body handles a drug.

Medication Dose Response

• Half-life: Time to reduce drug concentration by 50%
• Onset: Time for a response to occur after administration.
• Peak: Highest drug concentration in the blood.
• Duration: Time drug maintains its effect.

Types of Medication Action

• Therapeutic effects: Expected physiological responses
• Side effects: Unintended, predictable effects
• Adverse effects: Severe, negative responses
• Toxic effects: Prolonged intake leading to excess amounts
• Idiosyncratic reactions: Rare and unpredictable overreactions/underreactions

Allergy Reactions

• Mild: Unpredictable response (medication allergy, hyper-response of body defense mechanisms)
• Severe (Anaphylactic): Life-threatening, involving multiple organ systems (central nervous system, respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin)

Drug Guide

• Indication: Conditions the drug treats, approved by FDA.
• Action: Mechanism of therapeutic effects.
• Route: How it enters the body.
• Availability: Forms of the drug.
• Interactions: When one drug modifies another's action.
• Synergistic effect: Combined effect is greater than individual effects

Polypharmacy

• Use of multiple medications to treat the same illness or treating multiple issues simultaneously.
• Risk factors for self-medication and when multiple medications are needed simultaneously.

Pharmacodynamics vs Pharmacokinetics

• Pharmacodynamics: What the drug does to the body
• Pharmacokinetics: What the body does to the drug (ADME process)

What is Pharmacodynamics?

• How a drug changes the body
• Mechanisms of drug action: binding to receptors, changes in membrane excitability, etc.

Receptors

• Structural components on cell surfaces, in cytoplasm, or in the nucleus.
• Drugs bind to receptors to create effects (e.g., activate or block).

How Do Drugs Act at the Receptor Level?

• Agonists: Activate receptors to produce a response.
• Antagonists (Blockers): Block receptor activation.

Describe the ability of drugs therapy

• Potency: Strength of a drug at a specific dose
• Efficacy: Ability of a drug to produce a response

Critical Question (Efficacy vs. Potency)

• Which is more crucial: Efficacy (clinical effectiveness) OR Potency (drug strength).

Class Activity

• Review abbreviation sheet

• Complete mix and match activity

• Matching activity: link words and phrases to their intended meaning (matching activity requires matching words to meanings).