Additive Drug Effect Synergistic and Potentiation Effect
• when 2 drugs are administered in combination and the response is
increased beyond what either could produce alone
• Example:
o the administration of Angiotensin Receptor Blocker
(antihypertensive drug) and a diuretic
o if beta blocker is administered alone, it can lower blood
pressure
o if a diuretic will be administered alone, it can also lower blood
pressure
o if the 2 medications are administered together, the decrease of
the blood pressure is more pronounced
o take note that these 2 medications act differently to lower blood
pressure
o an example if the ARBLOC plus, in which the Losartan is the
antihypertensive and the Hydrochlorothiazide is the diuretic
• the clinical effect of the 2 drugs given together is substantially greater than that
of either drug alone
• Example:
o the administration of Amoxicillin and Clavulanic acid (Co-amoxiclav)
o Co-Amoxiclav is classified as an antibiotic
o if Amoxicillin is administered alone, it can inhibit the bacteria but is not
effective enough because it will be inactivated by the enzyme
o if clavulanic acid will be administered solely, it cannot kill the bacteria
because it only inhibits the enzyme of the bacteria and not the bacteria
itself
o when both the amoxicillin and clavulanic acid are administered
together, the clavulanic acid will inhibit the enzyme of the bacteria and
thus, the amoxicillin will retain its potency then the amoxicillin can now
act on the bacteria with it its full potency