| Term |
Definition |
| Pharmacology | The study of drugs and their actions on the body |
| Pharmacologist | Scientists who study the effects of drugs on the body |
| Plant drug souce | Morphine, Heroin, Codeine, Atropine, Digoxin |
| Animal drug source | Insulin, Oxytocin |
| Mineral drug source | NaHCO3, CaCl, MgSO4 |
| Synthetic drug source | lidocaine, Diazepam, Human insulin |
| Black box window | FDA regulated label that informs users of the potential problems with drug that may lead to death or to serious injury |
| Medical director | The individual physician who assumes the medical oversight role of EMS providers |
| Direct medical control | Online medical control, medical orders given over the telephone or radio |
| Indirect medical control | Standing orders, protocols. |
| Schedule I | No recognized medical use, High abuse potential. Research use only |
| Schedule II | Written prescription required. No telephone renewals, In an emergency, a prescription may be poned in |
| Schedule III | Written prescriptions required to be re-written after 6 months or five refils. Scripts may be ordered via phone |
| Schedule IV | Prescriptions required to be rewritten after 6 months or five refills |
| Schedule V | Dispenses as any (nonnarcotic) prescription. Some may be dispensed with out a prescription unless additional state regulations apply. |
| Drug profile | names; classificarion, mechanism of action, indications, pharmacokinetics, side effects, routes of administration, contraindications, dosage, how supplied, special considerations |
| Drug forms | Tincture, suspesion, spirit, emulsion, elixirs(tonic), syrups |
| Solution | preperations that contain the drug diluted in a solvent, usually water. |
| Tincture | preparations whereby the drug was extracted chemically with alcohol |
| Suspension | drugs that do not remain dissolved, drugs tend to separate and need to be shaken before every use |
| Spirits | drug solutions containing volatile chemicals dissolved in alcohol |
| Emulsions | drug preparations in which an oily substance is mixed with a solvent into which it does nto dissolve. |
| Elixirs (tonics) | Drug preparations that contain alcohol solvent. often flavored with cherry |
| Syups | Drugs often suspended in sugar and water to improve the taste |
| Parenterall drugs | drugs administered through IM, IV, SQ |
| Pills | Drugs that are shaped into a form that makes them easy to swallow |
| Powders | Drugs in powder form |
| Capsules | Gelatin containers into which powders is placed |
| Tablets | Similiar to pills but are often coated with sugar like substance to inprove flavor |
| Suppositories | Drugs administered recatally or vaginally |
| Inhalants | Powdered or liquid forms of a drug that are given using the respiratory route and are absorbed rapidly by the rich supply of capillaries in the lungs |
| Antagonism | opposition between 2 or more medications |
| Bolus | a single, often times a large dose of medication |
| Contraindication | Medical or physiological conditions present in a patient that would make it harmful to administer a medication of otherwise known theraputic value |
| Cumulative action | an added effect occurs when is administered in several doses, causing an increased effect. This increased effect usually due to a quantitative build up of the drug in the blood |
| Depressant | A medication that decreases or lessens a body function or activity |
| Habituation | A physical or psycological dependance on a drug |
| Hypersensitivity | A eraction to a substance that is normally moreprofound than seen in a population not sensitive to the substance |
| Idiosyncrasy | An indivual reaction toa drug that is usually different from that seen in the general public |
| Indication | A medical condition or conditions in which the drug has proven to be of theraputic value |
| Potentiation | the enhancement of ones drug's effect by another |
| Refractory | Patients or conditions that do not respond to a drug are said to be this... |
| Side effects | unavoidable, undesired effects frequently seen even in theraputic doses |
| Stimulant | A drug that enhances or increases a bodily function. ie cofee |
| Synergism | The combined action of 2 drugs, the action is much stronger than the effects of either drug administered seperately |
| Theraputic action | Desired intended action of a drug given in appropriate medical condition |
| Tolerance | When patients are recieving drugs on a long term basis, they may require larger and larger doses of the drug to achieve a theraputic effect |
| Untoward effect | a side effect that is proves harmful to the patient |
| Assay | A test that determines the amount of putiry of a given chemical in a preperation in the laboratory |
| Bioassay | Test to ascertain a drug's availability in a biological model |
| Bioequivalence | Relative theraputic effectiveness of chemically equivalent drugs |
| Controlled drug | Federal, state, and local laws control the use of a drug that may lead to drug abuse or drug dependance |
| Drug | Any substance that is introduced into the body that changes a body function |
| Enteral | Administration of a drug via the gastrointestinal tract |
