NWTC Pharmacology Exam 1 – Study Guide and Practice Material
drug - ✔✔Any small molecule that changes a body function by working at the chemical and
cellular levels
intrinsic drugs - ✔✔made by the body. ex: hormones, insulin
extrinsic drugs - ✔✔external drugs that originate outside of the body
Examples prescriptions and herbal medications
Generic name - ✔✔More commonly used not capitalized and cheaper
ex: acetaminophen
Brand/trade name - ✔✔Created by drug company, the 1st letter is always capitalized, the
name will often be followed by the registered trademark symbol ex:Tylenol
side effects of drugs - ✔✔Changes that are not the intended action of a drug, can be helpful or
harmful
ex: Benadryl- Used for allergies but can be taken as a sleep aid which is a helpful side effect
Receptor Agonist - ✔✔a drug that binds to a receptor and activates it
Example: diluaded- A narcotic that binds to the opioid receptor better than morphine
"the key that turns on the ignition"
receptor antagonist - ✔✔a drug that binds to a receptor and inhibits its function
, "similar enough in shape to go in the ignition but not start the car"
gives to slow or block the activity of a cell
Pharmacokinetic processs - ✔✔process by which a drug enters the body and starts to produce
an intended action
Absorption - ✔✔the movement of a drug from its site of administration into the blood
Distribution - ✔✔movement of drugs by the circulatory system to the site of action
Metabolism - ✔✔change that occurs in a drug either to a more or less potent form
Excretion - ✔✔elimination of a drug or its metabolites through various parts of the body
Metabolite - ✔✔A new or altered version of a drug.
MEC (minimum effective concentration) - ✔✔the lowest blood level needed to cause intended
action
duration of action - ✔✔how long a drug stays in the body at MEC
Potency - ✔✔the strength of the intended action produced at a given dose
Bioavailability - ✔✔the amount of the drug does that actually reaches the blood stream
Pregnancy considerations - ✔✔A- showed no risk
B- no evidence of risk in humans
drug - ✔✔Any small molecule that changes a body function by working at the chemical and
cellular levels
intrinsic drugs - ✔✔made by the body. ex: hormones, insulin
extrinsic drugs - ✔✔external drugs that originate outside of the body
Examples prescriptions and herbal medications
Generic name - ✔✔More commonly used not capitalized and cheaper
ex: acetaminophen
Brand/trade name - ✔✔Created by drug company, the 1st letter is always capitalized, the
name will often be followed by the registered trademark symbol ex:Tylenol
side effects of drugs - ✔✔Changes that are not the intended action of a drug, can be helpful or
harmful
ex: Benadryl- Used for allergies but can be taken as a sleep aid which is a helpful side effect
Receptor Agonist - ✔✔a drug that binds to a receptor and activates it
Example: diluaded- A narcotic that binds to the opioid receptor better than morphine
"the key that turns on the ignition"
receptor antagonist - ✔✔a drug that binds to a receptor and inhibits its function
, "similar enough in shape to go in the ignition but not start the car"
gives to slow or block the activity of a cell
Pharmacokinetic processs - ✔✔process by which a drug enters the body and starts to produce
an intended action
Absorption - ✔✔the movement of a drug from its site of administration into the blood
Distribution - ✔✔movement of drugs by the circulatory system to the site of action
Metabolism - ✔✔change that occurs in a drug either to a more or less potent form
Excretion - ✔✔elimination of a drug or its metabolites through various parts of the body
Metabolite - ✔✔A new or altered version of a drug.
MEC (minimum effective concentration) - ✔✔the lowest blood level needed to cause intended
action
duration of action - ✔✔how long a drug stays in the body at MEC
Potency - ✔✔the strength of the intended action produced at a given dose
Bioavailability - ✔✔the amount of the drug does that actually reaches the blood stream
Pregnancy considerations - ✔✔A- showed no risk
B- no evidence of risk in humans
