NSG 100 PHARMACOLOGY Study Guide
• Pharmacotherapeutics: The treatment of pathologic conditions through theuse of drugs
• acute therapy: Acute therapy often involves more intensive drug treatment andis
implemented in the acutely ill (those with rapid onset of illness) or the critically ill.
It is often needed to sustain life or treat disease.example- chemotherapy
• maintenance therapy: Drug therapy used for the treatment of chronic illnessesand oral
contraceptives
• supplemental or replacement therapy: supplies the body with a substanceneeded to
maintain normal function.
example- insulin
• palliative therapy: is to make the patient as comfortable as possible. example- high-dose
opioid analgesics to relieve pain in the final stages of cancer
• supportive therapy: maintains the integrity of body functions while the patientis
recovering from illness or trauma.
example- fluids to prevent dehydration
• Prophylactic therapy: provided to prevent illness or other undesirable outcomeduring
planned events.
example- antibiotics for surgery
• empiric therapy: is based on clinical probabilities. It involves
drug administration when a certain pathologic condition has a high likelihood ofoccurrence
based on the patient's initial present-ing symptoms
example- use of antibiotics before results of culture
• adverse effects: undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or otherintervention
• Theraputeic index: the ratio of a drugs toxic level to the level that providestherapeutic
benefits
• drug concentration: immature liver and kidney function
• patient condition: diseases or other medical conditions
• tolerance: decreasing response to repeated drug doses
• dependence: physiologic or psychological need for a drug
• physical dependence: a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasantwithdrawal
symptoms
• Pharmacotherapeutics: The treatment of pathologic conditions through theuse of drugs
• acute therapy: Acute therapy often involves more intensive drug treatment andis
implemented in the acutely ill (those with rapid onset of illness) or the critically ill.
It is often needed to sustain life or treat disease.example- chemotherapy
• maintenance therapy: Drug therapy used for the treatment of chronic illnessesand oral
contraceptives
• supplemental or replacement therapy: supplies the body with a substanceneeded to
maintain normal function.
example- insulin
• palliative therapy: is to make the patient as comfortable as possible. example- high-dose
opioid analgesics to relieve pain in the final stages of cancer
• supportive therapy: maintains the integrity of body functions while the patientis
recovering from illness or trauma.
example- fluids to prevent dehydration
• Prophylactic therapy: provided to prevent illness or other undesirable outcomeduring
planned events.
example- antibiotics for surgery
• empiric therapy: is based on clinical probabilities. It involves
drug administration when a certain pathologic condition has a high likelihood ofoccurrence
based on the patient's initial present-ing symptoms
example- use of antibiotics before results of culture
• adverse effects: undesired harmful effect resulting from a medication or otherintervention
• Theraputeic index: the ratio of a drugs toxic level to the level that providestherapeutic
benefits
• drug concentration: immature liver and kidney function
• patient condition: diseases or other medical conditions
• tolerance: decreasing response to repeated drug doses
• dependence: physiologic or psychological need for a drug
• physical dependence: a physiological need for a drug, marked by unpleasantwithdrawal
symptoms
