Pharmacology: Drug Classification and Actions

Drugs affecting kidney function, including diuretics and antidiuretics (like vasopressin).

Medications that prevent blood clotting, including anticoagulants, antiplatelets, and fibrinolytics.

Drugs that manage the hormonal system regulating blood pressure, including drugs in the RAAS pathway.

Medications for lowering high blood pressure.

Medications for conditions involving reduced blood flow to the heart, including angina and heart attacks.

Treatments for a heart condition where the heart can't pump effectively.

Medications for managing abnormal levels of fats (lipids) in the blood.

Medications for respiratory conditions like Asthma and COPD, affecting breathing.

Drugs developed for rare diseases, where the costs of development can't be recovered by selling the drug to a small patient population. Examples: digoxin antibody for digoxin toxicity and fomepizole for methanol poisoning.

Medications that can be purchased without a prescription from a doctor. Examples: paracetamol and antacids.

Medications that require a doctor's prescription to obtain. Examples: antibiotics and antipsychotics.

A book containing information on officially approved drugs, including their physical and chemical properties, tests for purity, storage guidelines, etc. Examples: Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), and United States Pharmacopoeia (USP).

A guide providing information about available drugs in a particular country, including dosage, use, side effects, contraindications, and drug selection advice.

The name that describes a drug's chemical structure. Examples: acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and N-acetyl-p-aminophenol (paracetamol).

The official name assigned to a drug by a scientific body, like the United States Adopted Name (USAN) council. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends International Nonproprietary Names (INN).

The system of naming drugs using various types of names, including chemical name, nonproprietary name, and proprietary name.

Pesticides are chemicals used to control pests like insects, rodents, and weeds. They can be found in many products like insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides.

Food adulterants are substances added to food that are harmful or can deceive consumers about the food's quality. Examples include adding harmful chemicals to increase weight or using artificial colors to make food look better.

Pollutants are substances that contaminate the environment, harming air, water, or land. They can be released from industries, vehicles, or agricultural practices.

Heavy metal poisoning occurs when toxic metals like lead, mercury, or arsenic enter the body and cause damage to organs. This can happen through contaminated food, water, or air.

Chelating agents are used to treat heavy metal poisoning by binding to the toxic metals and helping the body remove them.

An intravenous drip is a medical method where fluids and medications are delivered directly into a vein using a tube.

Drug dosage calculation involves determining the correct amount of medication for a patient based on their age, weight, and medical condition. This ensures safe and effective treatment.

Clinical trials are research studies used to test the safety and effectiveness of new drugs. They involve four phases: Phase 1 (safety), Phase 2 (effectiveness), Phase 3 (large-scale effectiveness), and Phase 4 (long-term monitoring).

The pH of the environment affects the ionization of drugs. Weakly acidic drugs are better absorbed in acidic environments like the stomach while weakly basic drugs are better absorbed in alkaline environments like the intestines.

Drugs given intravenously bypass absorption completely, entering directly into the bloodstream.

Highly polar drugs often ionize in solution and are poorly absorbed through the GI tract. They are often given parenterally (e.g., gentamicin).

Insulin is not given orally because it is degraded in the GI tract. It is given parenterally.

Strongly acidic and strongly basic drugs tend to remain ionized across different pH levels. This makes them poorly absorbed.

Food can affect drug absorption. Some drugs (e.g., rifampicin, levodopa) should be taken on an empty stomach for better absorption.

The presence of other drugs can affect drug absorption. For example, ascorbic acid increases oral iron absorption, while antacids reduce tetracycline absorption.

The small intestine provides a larger surface area for drug absorption compared to the stomach. Resection of the gut can decrease absorption due to a reduced surface area.

The reversible movement of a drug between body fluid compartments after it enters the bloodstream.

The theoretical volume of fluid in the body where a drug is uniformly distributed, assuming the body is a single compartment. It reflects how much a drug distributes in the body.

Indicates the drug distributes widely throughout the body, potentially accumulating in tissues.

Suggests the drug is mostly confined to the bloodstream and doesn't distribute widely in tissues.

Factors like molecular weight, plasma protein binding, and tissue affinity can influence a drug's Vd.

Conditions like congestive heart failure or uraemia can alter Vd by affecting fluid compartments or drug binding.

Haemodialysis is less effective for removing drugs with high Vd due to their widespread distribution.

Toxins can displace drugs from protein binding, leading to increased free drug concentration and potentially higher Vd.

Newborns have a lower capacity to metabolize certain drugs compared to adults due to less developed liver enzymes.

A serious condition in newborns caused by slow metabolism of chloramphenicol, leading to toxic buildup.

Older adults may have reduced liver enzyme activity, leading to slower drug breakdown and potential toxicity.

Poor nutrition can impact liver enzyme function, affecting how our bodies process drugs.

Liver diseases, like cirrhosis, can impair drug metabolism, potentially prolonging drug effects.

The study of how individual genetic differences influence drug responses, including metabolism.

Individuals who metabolize isoniazid slowly, requiring lower doses to avoid side effects like peripheral neuritis.

A prolonged paralysis of respiratory muscles due to slow metabolism of succinylcholine by atypical pseudocholinesterase.