Pharmacology Overview Quiz

Study Notes

Pharmacology Overview

Pharmacology studies the interaction between drugs and living systems.
Pharmacoepidemiology examines the effects of drugs on large populations.
Toxicology focuses on the adverse effects of drugs on the human body.
Teratology investigates damage to the fetus during development.

Key Terminologies

Drugs: Used for the diagnosis and prevention of diseases.
Pharmacokinetics: Involves the absorption, metabolism, and excretion of drugs.
Pharmacodynamics: Studies the biochemical and physiological effects and mechanisms of action of drugs.
Pharmacotherapeutics: Pertains to the treatment and prevention of diseases.

Understanding Drug Properties

Bioavailability: Refers to the fraction of unchanged drugs that reach systemic circulation.
Bioequivalence: Indicates biochemical similarity among drugs with the same active ingredients.
First Pass Effect: Drugs are metabolized before reaching systemic circulation.
First Order Elimination Kinetics: A constant proportion of drugs is eliminated per time unit.
Volume of Distribution (Vd): Measures the apparent space in the body available to contain the drug.

Dosage and Administration

Posology: The study of drug dosages.
Clearance: Measures the body's ability to eliminate drugs.
Steady State Concentration: The point where drug elimination equals drug intake.
Loading Dose: A higher initial drug concentration to quickly achieve therapeutic levels.
Maintenance Dose: Keeps drug concentration in the steady state.

Drug Effects and Tolerability

Half Life (t1/2): Duration needed for the drug amount in the body to decrease by half.
Therapeutic Index: Ratio of the toxic dose (TD50) to the effective dose (ED50) in humans.
Efficacy: Measures a drug's ability to treat the indicated medical condition.
Effectiveness: Assesses how well a drug works, its tolerability, and user-friendliness.
Potency: The concentration or dose required to achieve 50% of a drug's maximum effect.
Affinity: A drug's ability to bond with its biological target.

Unique Drug Responses

Tolerance: Reduced response to a drug's usual dose over time.
Tachyphylaxis: Rapid decrease in responsiveness to a drug shortly after administration.
Overshoot/Rebound Phenomenon: Return of symptoms upon discontinuation or dosage reduction of a drug.
Idiosyncrasy/Idiosyncratic Drug Reactions: Unpredictable adverse reactions not related to known drug effects.
Placebo/Placebo Response: An ineffectual treatment that can produce effects due to the patient's belief in its efficacy.

Description

This quiz covers essential topics in pharmacology, including drug interaction with living systems, pharmacoepidemiology, toxicology, and teratology. Test your understanding of the effects of pharmacological agents on humans and populations with various scenarios and questions.