Questions and Answers
What does pharmacodynamics study?
Which of the following best describes bioavailability?
What is the main focus of toxicology?
What are the three types of drug names?
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Which of the following subdivisions of pharmacology describes 'what the body does to a drug'?
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Study Notes
Pharmacology Overview
- Pharmacology is derived from Greek, where "pharmacon" means drug and "logos" means study.
- It focuses on how drugs act on tissues or organs to diagnose or treat diseases.
Drug Definition
- A drug serves as an agent for diagnosis, treatment, cure, or prevention of diseases.
Main Subdivisions of Pharmacology
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Pharmacokinetics: Explores what the body does to a drug.
- Involves absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion processes.
- Relevant to immunizations and vaccines.
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Pharmacodynamics: Investigates what a drug does to the body.
- Studies interactions between drugs and their specific receptors that mediate drug effects.
Other Key Areas
- Chemotherapy: Targets systematic infections, addressing parasites living in the body.
- Toxicology: Examines the poisonous effects of drugs and chemicals, emphasizing detection and prevention.
- Bioavailability: Refers to the fraction of an administered drug that reaches the bloodstream.
Pharmaco-Therapeutics
- Focuses on the use of drugs to treat or prevent diseases.
- Can be preventive, palliative, or restorative.
Drug Nomenclature
- Involves naming conventions for drugs.
- Three primary classifications:
- Chemical Name: Based on the drug's chemical formula as defined by IUPAC.
- Generic Name: Official name accepted universally for a drug.
- Brand Name: The name given by the manufacturing company.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the fundamentals of pharmacology, including drug classification, side effects, and the study of drug actions in the human body. This quiz covers essential concepts such as pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, as well as the role of medications in treatment and diagnosis.