Intro to Pharmacology

Intro to Pharmacology lecture notes

Define the following terms
Drug
Pharmacology
Clinical pharmacology
Pharmacotherapeutics

Properties of an Ideal Drug
Effectiveness
Safety
Selectivity
Reversible action
Predictability
Ease of administration
Minimal drug interactions
Low cost
Chemical stability
Possession of a simple generic name

Intensity of Drug Responses

Multiple factors influencing drug response are
Administration
Pharmacokinetics
Pharmacodynamics
Individual variations

Pharmacokinetics

The four major pharmacokinetic processes are
Drug absorption
Drug distribution
Drug metabolism
Drug excretion

Pharmacodynamics
The impact of drugs on the body once a day has
reached its site of action

Therapeutic Objective
Drug therapy should provide maximal benefitwith minimal harm