Fundamental Principles of Pharmacology

Indication – what a drug is licensed to treat

Drugs can have multiple indications
Mechanism of action – also called Mode of Action
How a drug works to achieve its theraputic effect.
Adverse effects – Unintended or potentially life-threatening effects (always negative)
Includes genetic reactions
Side effects – expected, sometimes intended, can be positive or negative.
Pharmacokinetics – abbreviated as PK – how an organism affects a drug
includes Absorbtion, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion
Pharmacodynamics – abbreviated as PD – What a drug does to an orgasm
determines what the optimum dose should be
Optimum dose-response relationship – limits side effects shile maximizing the clinical effects.
Receptors – proteins that enable the binding of a chemical, molicule or virus.
Behave similar to a light switch (agonism=on, antagonism=off)
Antagonist – blocks chemicals from binding to receptors.
Agonist – Always binds to a specific receptor.
Drug Interactions – other drugs, food, and diseases
-Example – Macrolide antibiotics inhibit enzimes needed to break down Statin drugs, causing
muscle damage like Rhabdomyolysis – breakdown of muscles that damages kidneys.
-Example – Dairy products prevent tetracycline antiobiotics from working.
-Example – Grapefruid jrice interacts with Statins – risk of severe adverse effects.
-Example – MAO inhibitors (depression, parkinson’s) and foods with tyramine (lowers blood
pressure) can cause hypertensive crisis.
-A drug can prevent the mechanism of action of other drugs
Synergistic Effect – Two drugs compliment each other
Example – Loop Diuretics and Potassium-Sparing Diuretic.
Patent – covers a period of time. Provides legal control over the ingredient production of a drug.
Generic – Reproductions of a previously patented drug. Inactive ingredients (excipients) may differ.
Half-Life – The time it takes for a drug in the body to reduce by 50%
1 half-life=50% remains. 2 half-lives=25% remains. 3 half-lives = 12.5% remains.

Receptors:
Beta 1 – heart, makes heart beat faster
Beta 2 – lungs - bronchodilator
Histamine 1 – produce allergy-like symptoms
Histamine 2 – located in stomach, produce stomach acid