Pharmacology Unit 1 Lehne's Pharma Chapters 1-11
Fundamentals of Pharmacology
I. Introduction to Pharmacology
Pharmacology Definition: The study of drugs and their interactions with
living systems.
Drug Definition: Any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a
living organism.
Clinical Pharmacology: The study of drugs in humans.
Pharmacotherapeutics: The study of the use of drugs in treating disease.
II. Properties of an Ideal Drug & Therapeutic
Objectives
Three Most Important Properties of an Ideal Drug:
1. Effectiveness: The drug elicits the response for which it is given.
2. Safety: The drug does not produce harmful effects.
3. Selectivity: The drug elicits only the response for which it is given.
Other Desirable Drug Properties:
o Predictability
o Ease of administration
o Freedom from drug interactions
o Low cost
o Chemical stability
o Generic name
Therapeutic Objective of Drugs: To provide maximum benefit with
minimum harm.
III. Determining the Intensity of Drug Responses
The intensity of a drug's response is influenced by:
o Administration: Dosage, route, and timing.
o Pharmacokinetics: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and
Excretion (ADME).
o Pharmacodynamics: The drug's mechanism of action on the body.
o Individual Variation: Physiological differences among patients.
, IV. Key Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic
Concepts
Pharmacokinetics: The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed
within the body, metabolized, and excreted. (ADME)
Pharmacodynamics: The process by which a medication works on the
body at a cellular and molecular level.
V. The "Rights" of Medication Administration
Five Original "Rights":
1. Right patient
2. Right drug
3. Right time
4. Right route
5. Right dose
Revised "Rights":
o Right assessment
o Right documentation
o Right evaluation
o Patient's right to education
o Patient's right to refuse medication
VI. Aspects of Drug Therapy
The eight critical aspects of drug therapy include:
o Preadministration assessment
o Dosage and administration
o Promotion of therapeutic effects
o Minimizing adverse effects
o Minimizing interactions
o Making "as needed" (PRN) decisions
o Evaluating responses to the medication
o Managing toxicity
VII. Pharmacology and Patient Education
Patients must be educated on:
o Drug name, dose, route, time, and dosing schedule.
Fundamentals of Pharmacology
I. Introduction to Pharmacology
Pharmacology Definition: The study of drugs and their interactions with
living systems.
Drug Definition: Any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a
living organism.
Clinical Pharmacology: The study of drugs in humans.
Pharmacotherapeutics: The study of the use of drugs in treating disease.
II. Properties of an Ideal Drug & Therapeutic
Objectives
Three Most Important Properties of an Ideal Drug:
1. Effectiveness: The drug elicits the response for which it is given.
2. Safety: The drug does not produce harmful effects.
3. Selectivity: The drug elicits only the response for which it is given.
Other Desirable Drug Properties:
o Predictability
o Ease of administration
o Freedom from drug interactions
o Low cost
o Chemical stability
o Generic name
Therapeutic Objective of Drugs: To provide maximum benefit with
minimum harm.
III. Determining the Intensity of Drug Responses
The intensity of a drug's response is influenced by:
o Administration: Dosage, route, and timing.
o Pharmacokinetics: Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and
Excretion (ADME).
o Pharmacodynamics: The drug's mechanism of action on the body.
o Individual Variation: Physiological differences among patients.
, IV. Key Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic
Concepts
Pharmacokinetics: The process by which drugs are absorbed, distributed
within the body, metabolized, and excreted. (ADME)
Pharmacodynamics: The process by which a medication works on the
body at a cellular and molecular level.
V. The "Rights" of Medication Administration
Five Original "Rights":
1. Right patient
2. Right drug
3. Right time
4. Right route
5. Right dose
Revised "Rights":
o Right assessment
o Right documentation
o Right evaluation
o Patient's right to education
o Patient's right to refuse medication
VI. Aspects of Drug Therapy
The eight critical aspects of drug therapy include:
o Preadministration assessment
o Dosage and administration
o Promotion of therapeutic effects
o Minimizing adverse effects
o Minimizing interactions
o Making "as needed" (PRN) decisions
o Evaluating responses to the medication
o Managing toxicity
VII. Pharmacology and Patient Education
Patients must be educated on:
o Drug name, dose, route, time, and dosing schedule.
