OTC means

Over the counter

Controlled substance

Drug controlled by prescription requirement because of danger of addiction or abuse

Indications

A list of medical conditions or disease for which a drug is meant to be used

Actions

description of cellular changes that occur as a result of the drug

Contradictions

list of conditions for which the drug should not be given

warnings and cautions

list of conditions or types of patients that warrant closer observation for specific side effects when given the drug

Side effects and adverse reactions

a list of possible unpleasant or dangerous secondary effects, other than the desired effects

Example: Drowsy, itching

Intercations

list of other drugs or foods that may alter the effect of the drug and usually should not be given during the same course of therapy

How Supplied

the available forms and strengths of the drug

usual dosage

the amount of drug considered safe for administration, the route, and the frequency of administration

pharmocology

study of drugs and their action on living organisms

drug

any chemical substance taken into the body for the purpose of affecting body function

pharmacodnamics

the study of the actions and effects of drugs on the body

pharmackinetics

the use of a drug in the body by 4 steps:

ABSORPTION

DISTRIBUTION

BIOSTRANSFORMATION

EXCRETION

Prophylaxis

prevention

getting ahead of reactions

Drug enforcement Agency(DEA)

concerned with controlled substances only, enforces laws against drug activities including illegal drug use, dealing, and manufacturing, they also monitor need for changing the schedules of abused drugs

Narcotics regulations

• Drug enforcement agency # of the physician
• Cannot be phones in. Must have written prescription
• Drugs must be counted at the END and BEGINNING of shift
• IF A MED HAS TO BE WASTED IT MUST BE WITNESSED BY ANOTHER LICENSED NURSE
• Must be kept in double lock system
• Meds must be signed in and out when taken out of narcotic drawer...Example in a nursing home

Drug Standards

Purity

pure drug, contains only one specific chemical

Drug Standards

Potency

Strength, reflected in grams, mg, mcg, or other units in weight

when active ingredients unknown potency is reflected in units

Drug Standards

Bioavailability

readiness of a drug to produce a drug effect. Measured by the concentration of the drug in blood or tissue at a specific time after administration

Drug Standards

Efficacy

Its ability to produce a desired chemical change in the body

Drug Standards

Safety and toxicity(opposites)

determined by recording type and # of adverse effect that occur in individuals after a drug is administered

Drug Standards

Therapeutic Dosages

dosages that fall within the margin of safety

Principles of Drug Action and Interactions

Pharmacokinetics: Drug processing by the body

• Absorption

getting in the blood stream

Principles of Drug Action and Interactions

Pharmacokinetics: Drug processing by the body

Moving from the blood stream into the tissues and fluids of the body

Principles of Drug Action and Interactions

Pharmacokinetics: Drug processing by the body

physical and chemical alterations that a substance undergoes in the body

Principles of Drug Action and Interactions

Pharmacokinetics: Drug processing by the body

Eliminating waste products of drug metabolism from the body

Half Life

the amount of time required for 50% of the drug to be eliminated from the body

• How fast it goes through your system