1. Pharmacology Basics Presentation Name Course Name
Unit # – Lesson #.# – Lesson Name
Pharmacology Basics
Human Body Systems
© 2014 Project Lead The Way, Inc.

2. What Is Pharmacology?
Pharmacology is the study of drugs, including their action and effects in living body systems.
To administer a drug safely, doctors must know the usual dose, the route of administration, significant adverse reactions, and major drug interactions.

3. Drug Names Each drug is referred to by three different names:
The generic name of the commonly prescribed antibiotic is amoxicillin. The chemical name is hydroxybenzyl-penicillin. Amoxicillin is marketed using over a dozen brand names such as Alphamox® or Amoxil®.
The chemical name
Describes the exact chemical composition of the medicine
The generic name
The more commonly used name of the medication
The proprietary or brand name
The name assigned by a manufacturer and protected by copyright

4. Dosage
The dose of the drug is the amount a patient takes for a desired effect.
Some doses are general and not patient specific, but many doses are calculated using specific data about the patient.
Many factors contribute to determining the proper dose of a medication, including
Route of administration of the medication
Weight of the patient
Overall severity of the condition

5. Routes of Drug Administration
Enteral Routes (Routes through the GI tract)
Oral
Medications taken by mouth, absorbed through stomach or small intestine
Can be solids, such a pills or capsules, or liquid
Sublingual
Medications held under the tongue until they dissolve.
Offers rapid action as oral cavity contains a rich blood supply
Buccal
Medication placed between the gums and cheek

6. Routes of Drug Administration
Parenteral Routes (Routes via injection) – offer immediate delivery of the medication
Intradermal (ID)
Injections given just below the epidermis into the dermis of the skin.
Ex. Often used in allergy skin tests
Subcutaneous
Injections given into subcutaneous tissue below the dermis in the upper arms, upper back or upper abdomen.
Ex. Used for insulin injections
Intramuscular (IM)
Injections given directly to large muscle groups in shoulder, thigh or hip
Ex. Used for delivery of some vaccines

7. Routes of Drug Administration
Parenteral Routes (Routes via injection)
Intravenous Injection (IV)
Injections given directly into the veins.

8. Routes of Drug Administration
Other Routes of Administration
Transdermal
Administration via skin preparations
Ex. Creams, ointments, lotions, sprays, patches
Ophthalmic
Medications administered to the eye
Otic
Medications administered in the ears
Nasal
Medications administered in the nose

9. Routes of Drug Administration
Other Routes of Administration
Inhalation
Administration by drawing breath, gas, or vapor into the lungs
Could be delivered by aerosols, nebulizers, or inhalers
Vaginal
Administration into the vagina
Rectal
Administration into the rectum

10. Side Effects
Side effects are the results of drug (or other) therapy that are beyond the desired therapeutic effects.
Side effects may vary for each individual depending on the person’s disease state, age, weight, gender, ethnicity, or general health.
Medications undergo rigorous testing before they are released to the public, and all confirmed potential side effects are reported on the literature that comes with a medication.

11. Drug Interactions
A drug interaction occurs when the effects of one drug are altered by the effects of another drug.
The interaction leads to an increase or decrease in effectiveness of the new medication.
Severe drug interactions can lead to serious consequences in the body, even death.

12. Anatomy of a Prescription
Example prescription might include:
Information about the healthcare provider
Patient information and date of prescription
The Rx symbol
The names and quantity of ingredients
Directions for how the pharmacist is to fill the prescription
Directions for the patient as to how/when to take the medication
Information about refills and special labelling

13. Abbreviations Used in Pharmacology
Doctors use a series of abbreviations to communicate with the pharmacist.
These abbreviations note:
How often to take the medication (twice a day, every 4 hours)
When to take the medication (at night, before meals)
How much medication to take (one tablet, 100 mg)
How to use the medication (apply it topically, take it by mouth)

14. Abbreviations Used in Pharmacology
Obtain a Commonly Used Abbreviations Resource Sheet and use it to analyze this prescription.
PLTW Medicine
3939 Priority Way South Drive
Indianapolis, IN 46240
Name: Joe Smith
Address: Street Road
Date: Today ℞
Diovan 40mg
Dispense #90
Sig i po qd
Generic Substitution Allowed
M.D. 
Dispense as Written
M.D.
Refill PRN
LABEL

15. References
Focus on Pharmacology – Essentials for Health Professionals; Jahangir Moini; Pearson Learning, 2008