Lecture Notes on Pharmacology for Nursing Care

Introduction to Pharmacology

• Basic Terms:
  • Drug: Any chemical that can affect living processes.
  • Pharmacology: Study of drugs and their interactions with living systems, focusing on chemical properties, biochemical and physiological effects, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
  • Clinical Pharmacology: Study of drugs in humans.
  • Therapeutics: Use of drugs to diagnose, prevent, and treat illness.

Definitions and Disease

• Living Systems:

  • Respiration, Metabolism, Reproduction.
  • Cell Types:
    • Eucaryotic: Contain organelles like ribosomes, nucleus, mitochondria.
    • Procaryotic: Lack nucleus and other organelles.
    • Viruses: Contain nucleic acids and capsid.

• Definition of Disease: Occurs due to dysfunctional cells or organ loss of function from autoimmune issues, bacteria, viruses, chemicals, or drugs.

Properties of an Ideal Drug

• Effectiveness: Produces intended response.
• Safety: No side effects, even at high concentrations.
• Selectivity: Specific reaction with no side effects.
• Additional Properties: Reversible action, predictability, ease of administration, no drug interactions, low cost, chemical stability, and simple generic name.

Therapeutic Objective

• Aim to provide maximum benefit with minimum harm.

Factors Affecting Drug Response

1. Administration: Dosage size, route, timing.
2. Pharmacokinetic Processes: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion.
3. Pharmacodynamics: Drug effects based on receptor binding.
4. Individual Variation: Age, sex, weight, organ function, genetics.

Nursing Practice and Pharmacology

• Five Rights of Drug Administration: Right drug, patient, dose, route, time.
• Nurse Knowledge: Patient history, drug interactions, actions, and advocacy.

Patient Care

• Pre-administration Assessment: Baseline data collection, identifying high-risk patients, assessing self-care ability.
• Drug and Dosage Administration: Importance of correct routes and dosages.
• Evaluating Therapeutic Effects: Continuous monitoring and ensuring compliance.
• Minimizing Adverse Effects: Understanding patient history and known drug interactions.
• Patient Education: Teaching about drugs, dosages, routes, and expected outcomes.

Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics

• Pharmacokinetics: Study of drug movement through the body.

  • Processes: Absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion.
  • Factors: Membrane permeability, ionization, pH partitioning.

• Pharmacodynamics: Study of drug effects and mechanisms.

  • Dose-response relationships, maximal efficacy, affinity, and intrinsic activity.

Drug Regulations and Development

• History: Early regulations focused on safety and efficacy, leading to more stringent laws like the Controlled Substances Act.
• Drug Development: Involves extensive preclinical and clinical testing.
• Drug Names: Chemical, generic, and trade names.

Drug Interactions

• Drug-Drug Interactions: Can enhance or reduce effects, or produce new effects.
• Drug-Food Interactions: Impact absorption and metabolism.

Adverse Drug Reactions

• Types: Side effects, toxicity, allergic reactions, idiosyncratic effects.
• Impact on Patients: Particularly concerning in the elderly and the very young.

Special Populations

• Pregnancy and Breastfeeding: Effects on fetus and infant, risks vs. benefits.
• Pediatric Patients: Sensitivity due to immature organs.
• Geriatric Patients: Sensitivity due to organ degeneration, multiple medications, and poor compliance.

Conclusion

• Importance of understanding pharmacology to ensure safe and effective medication administration and monitoring across various patient populations.