Pharmacodynamics- the study of the effects of drugs on the body
o Pharmacokinetics- movement of drugs within the body
Absorption- is the movement of
... [Show More] the drug into the bloodstream after administration. 80% of drugs
are taken by mouth. Oral drugs enter the bloodstream following absorption across the mucosal lining
of the small intestine. Absorption across the mucosal lining of the small intestine occurs through
passive transport, active transport, or pinocytosis
Distribution- is the movement of the drug from the circulation to body tissues. Drug distribution
is influenced by the rate of blood flow to the tissue
Metabolism- is the process by which the body chemically changes drugs into a form that can be
excreted. The liver is the primary site of metabolism.
Excretion-The main route of drug excretion, elimination of drugs from the body, is through the
kidneys. Drugs are also excreted through bile, the lungs, saliva, sweat, and breast milk. Most drugs
are filtered through the glomeruli and are excreted in the urine
o First pass effect- In the liver, some drugs are metabolized to an inactive form and are excreted, thus
reducing the amount of active drug available to exert a pharmacologic effect. This is referred to as the
first-pass effect
Side effects vs. adverse effects
Side Effects are predictable, less serious, tolerable(sometimes) EX- nausea with taking morphine
Adverse effects are Undesirable, potentially harmful events related to medication. Causal for medication to be
discontinue. May cause permanent harm. Ex-anaphylaxis
Tolerance & dependence
Tolerance refers to a decreased responsiveness to a drug over the course of therapy
Dependence
Adrenergic & adrenergic blockers
Adrenergic drugs mimic the action of epinephrine in the body
Adrenergic blockers inhibit the function of the adrenergic receptors
Cholinergic & cholinergic blockers
Cholinergic drugs mimic the action of acetylcholine
Cholinergic blockers inhibit the function of acetylcholine transmission
Cholinesterase inhibitor –actions
Prolongs the existence of acetylcholine and stops it from breaking down as quickly
Acetylcholinesterase inhibitor –actions
Pregnancy categories of medications
A- No risk to fetus
B- Animal studies have shown minimal effect but no adequate well controlled studies in human
C-Animal studies have shown adverse effect on fetus. No studies in humans, but drug can pose potential benefits
despite risks
D- Positive evidence of human fetal risk, but may have potential benefits
X- studies have demonstrated fetal abnormalities and no positive evidence [Show Less]