Pharmacology Chapters 1–5 (Adams) Exam Study
Guide – Drug Basics, Classifications &
Mechanisms|Verified Questions Complete With
Verified A+ Graded Answers
Pharmacology
The study of medicine
Therapeutics
Is concerned with the prevention of disease and treatment of suffering
Pharmacotherapy
The application of drugs for the purpose of treating diseases and alleviating human suffering
What is the difference between Pharmacology and therapeutics?
As nouns the difference between pharmacology and therapeutics is that pharmacology is
(medicine) the science that studies the effects of chemical compounds on living animals,
especially the science of the manufacture, use and effects of medicinal drugs while therapeutics
is (medicine) the treatment of disease; the science of healing.
Drug
A chemical agent capable of producing biologic responses within the body. (can be desirable or
not)
Medication
Drugs administered after the fact
Biologics
Agents naturally produced in animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies
These involve natural plant extracts, herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, and
additional techniques outside of the realm of conventional therapeutics
Therapeutic classification
,A method of organizing drugs based on their therapeutic usefulness in treating particular
diseases or disorders
Pharmacologic classification
Refers to the way a drug works at the molecular, tissue, or body system level.
Mechanism of action
How a drug produces its physiological effect in the body
Prototype drug
A well understood drug model with which other drugs in its representative class are compared
Chemical name
assigned using standard nomenclature established by the international union of pure and
applied chemistry (IUPAC). Drug has only of the these.
Generic name
Assigned by the Adopted Name Council. Usually less complicated and easier to remember than
chemical names
Trade name
Assigned by the company marketing the drug. Also known as brand name. First letter always
capitalized. Short and easy to remember.
Combination drug
Contains more than one active generic ingredient
Bioavailability
is the physiological ability of the drug to reach its target cells and produce and effect
Pharmacoeconomics
A sub-discipline of health economics has helped in situations involving broader application of a
particular type of drug therapy.
Trade name/Generic substance chart
What is the difference between therapeutic and pharmacologic classifications? Identify the
following classifications as therapeutic or pharmacologic: beta-adrenergic blocker, oral
contraceptive, laxative, folic acid antagonist, and antianginal agent.
, The therapeutic classification is a method of organizing drugs based on their therapeutic
usefulness in treating particular diseases. The pharmacologic classification refers to how an
agent works at the molecular, tissue, and body system levels. A beta-adrenergic blocker is a
pharmacologic class; an oral contraceptive is a therapeutic class; laxative is a therapeutic class;
folic acid antagonist is a pharmacologic class; antianginal is a therapeutic class.
What is a prototype drug, and how does it differ from other drugs in the same class?
Prototype drugs exhibit typical or essential features of the drugs within a specific class. By
learning the characteristics of the prototype drug, students may better anticipate the actions
and adverse effects of other drugs in the same class.
The advantages of a generic drug include cost savings to the patient and the fact that the name
will remain the same, regardless of which company makes the drug. However, because generic
drug formularies may be different, the inert ingredients may be somewhat different and,
consequently, may affect the ability of the drug to reach the target cells and produce an effect.
Why
The advantages of a generic drug include cost savings to the patient and the fact that the name
will remain the same, regardless of which company makes the drug. However, because generic
drug formularies may be different, the inert ingredients may be somewhat different and,
consequently, may affect the ability of the drug to reach the target cells and produce an effect.
Pharmacodynamics
Study of how the body responds to drugs.
Frequency distribution curve
Graphical representation that illustrates interpatient variability in responses to drugs.
Median affective dose (ED50)
Dose required to produce a specific therapeutic response in 50% of a group of patients.
Median lethal dose (LD50)
Often determined in preclinical trials, the dose of drug that will be lethal in 50% of a group of
animals.
Median toxicity dose (TD50)
Dose that will produce a given toxicity in 50% of a group of patients.
Graded dose-response
Guide – Drug Basics, Classifications &
Mechanisms|Verified Questions Complete With
Verified A+ Graded Answers
Pharmacology
The study of medicine
Therapeutics
Is concerned with the prevention of disease and treatment of suffering
Pharmacotherapy
The application of drugs for the purpose of treating diseases and alleviating human suffering
What is the difference between Pharmacology and therapeutics?
As nouns the difference between pharmacology and therapeutics is that pharmacology is
(medicine) the science that studies the effects of chemical compounds on living animals,
especially the science of the manufacture, use and effects of medicinal drugs while therapeutics
is (medicine) the treatment of disease; the science of healing.
Drug
A chemical agent capable of producing biologic responses within the body. (can be desirable or
not)
Medication
Drugs administered after the fact
Biologics
Agents naturally produced in animal cells, by microorganisms, or by the body itself
Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies
These involve natural plant extracts, herbs, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, and
additional techniques outside of the realm of conventional therapeutics
Therapeutic classification
,A method of organizing drugs based on their therapeutic usefulness in treating particular
diseases or disorders
Pharmacologic classification
Refers to the way a drug works at the molecular, tissue, or body system level.
Mechanism of action
How a drug produces its physiological effect in the body
Prototype drug
A well understood drug model with which other drugs in its representative class are compared
Chemical name
assigned using standard nomenclature established by the international union of pure and
applied chemistry (IUPAC). Drug has only of the these.
Generic name
Assigned by the Adopted Name Council. Usually less complicated and easier to remember than
chemical names
Trade name
Assigned by the company marketing the drug. Also known as brand name. First letter always
capitalized. Short and easy to remember.
Combination drug
Contains more than one active generic ingredient
Bioavailability
is the physiological ability of the drug to reach its target cells and produce and effect
Pharmacoeconomics
A sub-discipline of health economics has helped in situations involving broader application of a
particular type of drug therapy.
Trade name/Generic substance chart
What is the difference between therapeutic and pharmacologic classifications? Identify the
following classifications as therapeutic or pharmacologic: beta-adrenergic blocker, oral
contraceptive, laxative, folic acid antagonist, and antianginal agent.
, The therapeutic classification is a method of organizing drugs based on their therapeutic
usefulness in treating particular diseases. The pharmacologic classification refers to how an
agent works at the molecular, tissue, and body system levels. A beta-adrenergic blocker is a
pharmacologic class; an oral contraceptive is a therapeutic class; laxative is a therapeutic class;
folic acid antagonist is a pharmacologic class; antianginal is a therapeutic class.
What is a prototype drug, and how does it differ from other drugs in the same class?
Prototype drugs exhibit typical or essential features of the drugs within a specific class. By
learning the characteristics of the prototype drug, students may better anticipate the actions
and adverse effects of other drugs in the same class.
The advantages of a generic drug include cost savings to the patient and the fact that the name
will remain the same, regardless of which company makes the drug. However, because generic
drug formularies may be different, the inert ingredients may be somewhat different and,
consequently, may affect the ability of the drug to reach the target cells and produce an effect.
Why
The advantages of a generic drug include cost savings to the patient and the fact that the name
will remain the same, regardless of which company makes the drug. However, because generic
drug formularies may be different, the inert ingredients may be somewhat different and,
consequently, may affect the ability of the drug to reach the target cells and produce an effect.
Pharmacodynamics
Study of how the body responds to drugs.
Frequency distribution curve
Graphical representation that illustrates interpatient variability in responses to drugs.
Median affective dose (ED50)
Dose required to produce a specific therapeutic response in 50% of a group of patients.
Median lethal dose (LD50)
Often determined in preclinical trials, the dose of drug that will be lethal in 50% of a group of
animals.
Median toxicity dose (TD50)
Dose that will produce a given toxicity in 50% of a group of patients.
Graded dose-response
