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Pharmacology for Nurses

Key Terms

Pharmacology for NursesKey Terms

Key Terms

adverse drug event
when an individual is harmed by a drug
adverse effect
an effect of a drug that is undesired
biologic
a drug isolated from natural resources and developed through biomolecular science, immunology, and genetic engineering and produced through biotechnological processes
biosimilar
a drug that is synthetically produced and has similar properties to a specific biologic; although it does go through testing, it does not go through the same rigorous testing that a biologic does
brand name
the unique identifier of a drug assigned by the drug company and marketed to consumers; also known as a trade name
chemical name
a method for identifying drugs built around the drug’s specific chemical structure or composition; often of most use to the chemist or pharmacist
complementary and alternative medicine (CAM)
alternative medicine refers to using a treatment instead of mainstream conventional medicine. Complementary therapy refers to using both alternative and conventional medicine together. Treatments may include massage, acupuncture, acupressure, mind–body interventions, herbs, vitamins, or dietary supplements.
counterfeit drug
a product that is illegally manufactured or mislabeled regarding the identity or source and appears to be a genuine product; may be harmful to the client
drug
a chemical that exerts an effect on the living body; a compound used in the prevention, treatment, diagnosis, or cure of a condition or disease
drug formulary
the list of prescription drugs that are covered by an insurance plan or carried by a medical institution
drug prototype
use of one drug within a class to represent all other drugs within the class—a “class representative”
enteral administration
the administration of medications into the gastrointestinal (GI) tract
generic name
the name of a drug, usually derived from the chemical name, that uniquely identifies the drug
intramuscular injection
the administration of medication into the muscle of a client (usually deltoid or ventrogluteal in an adult and the vastus lateralis in an infant under age 2)
intravenous
the administration of a medication directly into the bloodstream through a vein
over-the-counter (OTC) drug
a drug or medication available without prescription
parenteral administration
the administration of medication elsewhere besides the enteral (GI) route
percutaneous administration
the application of drugs to the skin or mucous membranes
pharmacogenetics
the study of the body’s hereditary response to drugs
pharmacokinetics
the movement of a drug through the body, or “what the body does to the drug”
pharmacologic classification
refers to how a group of drugs can be organized by how they work in the body—the mechanism of action
pharmacology
the study of medicines (or drugs) or the study of the biological effects of chemicals on the body
side effect
an effect of a drug that is undesired
subcutaneous injection
the administration of a medication into adipose tissue
synthetic drug
a chemical compound produced in a laboratory by a drug manufacturer or illegally by individuals for illicit purposes
teratogenic
harmful to a fetus by causing severe malformations or death
therapeutic classification
refers to how a group of drugs can be organized by the diagnosis or disease being treated
therapeutic effects
the effects that are expected and desired from a particular medication
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