Pharmacology Overview and Concepts

Pharmacology Overview

• Pharmacology studies drugs, their effects, and biological impacts on living organisms.
• It encompasses the preparation, uses, and effects of drugs.

Branches of Pharmacology

• Pharmacotherapeutics: Utilizes drugs for treating, preventing, and diagnosing diseases.
• Pharmacokinetics: Examines how drugs move through the body.
• Pharmacodynamics: Focuses on the biological response to drugs.
• Toxicokinetics and Toxicodynamics: Specialized studies on the movement and response of toxic substances.

Drug Definition and Excretion

• Drugs are chemical substances used for treatment, cure, prevention, or diagnosis of diseases.
• Drug excretion occurs via:
  • Gastrointestinal (GI) tract
  • Urinary tract
  • Skin
  • Respiratory tract

Routes of Drug Administration

• Oral: Taken through the digestive system.
• Inhalation: Administered through the respiratory tract.
• Topical: Applied to the skin for absorption.
• Parenteral: Directly into the bloodstream; ensures 100% absorption.
• Injectable: Also guarantees complete drug absorption.

Key Concepts in Pharmacology

• Biotransformation: The process by which the body modifies drugs.
• Half-life: Duration for the drug concentration to reduce by half, influenced by dosage.

Drug Safety During Pregnancy

• Category A: No risk to the fetus.
• Category B: Minimal risk or insufficient studies.
• Category C: Risks identified, need careful evaluation.
• Category D: Well-documented risks.
• Category X: Contraindicated in pregnancy.

Ideal Drug Characteristics

• Reversible effects.
• Predictable responses.
• Absence of adverse effects and drug interactions.
• Cost-effective and simple to use.

Patient Safety Principles

• Verify patient identity.
• Communicate effectively.
• Ensure safe surgical practices.
• Implement fall prevention strategies.

Medication Safety Terminology

• High-alert medications (HAMs): Drugs that have a high risk of causing significant harm.
• Look-alike, sound-alike (LASA): Medications that can be confused due to naming similarities.

Goals of Pharmacology

• Utilize natural sources (plants, animals, inorganic compounds) and synthetic sources (chemically more potent).

Drug Evaluation Process

• Preclinical trials: Testing substances on animal models before human studies.

Medication Administration Rights

• Ensure the following rights are adhered to:
  • Right patient
  • Right dosage
  • Right route of administration
  • Right medication
  • Right time

Adverse Effects Categorization

• Primary Effects: Intended therapeutic effects.
• Secondary Effects: Additional effects, beneficial or harmful.
• Hypersensitivity: Abnormal excessive responses to drugs.

Regulatory Frameworks

• Republic Act 2382: Physicians are exclusively authorized to prescribe medications.
• Republic Act 5921 (Pharmacy Law): Only registered pharmacists may dispense and sell medicines.

Measurement Systems in Pharmacology

• Metric System: Legal standard for measurements in medications.
• Apothecary System: Traditional system of weights for measuring substances.