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Pharmacology Basics
Human Body Systems
© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.
What Is Pharmacology?
• Pharmacology is the study of drugs,
including their action and effects in living
body systems.
• To administer a drug safely, doctors must
know the usual dose, the route of
administration, significant adverse
reactions, and major drug interactions.
Drug Names
• Each drug is referred to by three different
names:
The chemical name
Describes the exact chemical
composition of the medicine
The generic name
The more commonly used
name of the medication
The proprietary or
brand name
The name assigned by a
manufacturer and protected
by copyright
• The generic name of the commonly prescribed antibiotic
is amoxicillin. The chemical name is hydroxybenzylpenicillin. Amoxicillin is marketed using over a dozen
brand names such as Alphamox® or Amoxil®.
Dosage
• The dose of the drug is the amount a
patient takes for a desired effect.
• Some doses are general and not patient
specific, but many doses are calculated
using specific data about the patient.
• Many factors contribute to determining the
proper dose of a medication, including
– Route of administration of the medication
– Weight of the patient
– Overall severity of the condition
Routes of Drug Administration
Enteral Routes (Routes through the GI tract)
• Oral
– Medications taken by mouth, absorbed through
stomach or small intestine
• Can be solids, such a pills or capsules, or liquid
• Sublingual
– Medications held under the tongue until they dissolve.
• Offers rapid action as oral cavity contains a rich blood supply
• Buccal
– Medication placed between the gums and cheek
Routes of Drug Administration
Parenteral Routes (Routes via injection) – offer
immediate delivery of the medication
• Intradermal (ID)
– Injections given just below the epidermis into the dermis of the
skin.
• Ex. Often used in allergy skin tests
• Subcutaneous
– Injections given into subcutaneous tissue below the dermis in the
upper arms, upper back or upper abdomen.
• Ex. Used for insulin injections
• Intramuscular (IM)
– Injections given directly to large muscle groups in shoulder, thigh
or hip
• Ex. Used for delivery of some vaccines
Routes of Drug Administration
Parenteral Routes (Routes via injection)
• Intravenous Injection (IV)
– Injections given directly into the veins.
Routes of Drug Administration
Other Routes of Administration
• Transdermal
– Administration via skin preparations
• Ex. Creams, ointments, lotions, sprays, patches
• Ophthalmic
– Medications administered to the eye
• Otic
– Medications administered in the ears
• Nasal
– Medications administered in the nose
Routes of Drug Administration
Other Routes of Administration
• Inhalation
– Administration by drawing breath, gas, or vapor into
the lungs
• Could be delivered by aerosols, nebulizers, or inhalers
• Vaginal
– Administration into the vagina
• Rectal
– Administration into the rectum
Side Effects
• Side effects are the results of drug (or other)
therapy that are beyond the desired therapeutic
effects.
• Side effects may vary for each individual
depending on the person’s disease state, age,
weight, gender, ethnicity, or general health.
• Medications undergo rigorous testing before
they are released to the public, and all confirmed
potential side effects are reported on the
literature that comes with a medication.
Drug Interactions
• A drug interaction occurs when the effects
of one drug are altered by the effects of
another drug.
• The interaction leads to an increase or
decrease in effectiveness of the new
medication.
• Severe drug interactions can lead to
serious consequences in the body, even
death.
Anatomy of a Prescription
• Example prescription might
include:
– Information about the healthcare
provider
– Patient information and date of
prescription
– The Rx symbol
– The names and quantity of ingredients
– Directions for how the pharmacist is to
fill the prescription
– Directions for the patient as to
how/when to take the medication
– Information about refills and special
labelling
Abbreviations Used in Pharmacology
• Doctors use a series of abbreviations to
communicate with the pharmacist.
• These abbreviations note:
– How often to take the medication (twice a day, every
4 hours)
– When to take the medication (at night, before meals)
– How much medication to take (one tablet, 100 mg)
– How to use the medication (apply it topically, take it
by mouth)
Abbreviations Used in Pharmacology
Obtain a Commonly Used Abbreviations
Resource Sheet and use it to analyze this
prescription.
PLTW Medicine
3939 Priority Way South Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Name: Joe Smith
Address: 1515 Street Road
Date: Today
℞
Diovan 40mg
Dispense #90
Sig i po qd
Generic Substitution Allowed
M.D.
Dispense as Written
M.D.
Refill 0 1 2 3 PRN
LABEL
References
• http://healthinsurance.about.com/od/prescr
iptiondrugs/a/understanding_MD_Rx.htm
• Focus on Pharmacology – Essentials for
Health Professionals; Jahangir Moini;
Pearson Learning, 2008