TOPIC 1: INTRODUCTION TO PHARMACOLOGY

Objectives:
1. Define the different areas of study in Pharmacology.
2. Give examples of generic and trade names of drugs.
3. Differentiate adverse drug reaction from side effect.
4. Explain why response to drugs vary.
5. Compare the different routes of drug administration.
6. Identify the organs responsible for drug excretion and drug metabolism.
7. Explain the meaning of the different abbreviations in prescribing drugs.

YouTube video must watch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bBNDqq2NmM
Lecture 01: Introduction to General Pharmacology (8:28min)
Medicopharma lectures

Areas of study and scope within pharmacology. Ciccone (2007)

Pharmacology is the study of drugs.

Pharmacotherapeutics- refers to the use of specific drugs to prevent, treat, or diagnose a disease.

Pharmacokinetics is the study of how the body deals with the drug –its absorption, distribution,
and elimination.

Pharmacodynamics is the analysis of what the drug does to the body, and how the drug exerts its
effect.

Pharmacy deals with the preparation and dispensing of medications.

Toxicology is the study of the harmful effects of chemicals (drugs).

Trade name (also known as the brand name) is assigned to the compound by the pharmaceutical
company

Generic name -(also known as the “official” or “nonproprietary” name) often derived from the
chemical name; the easiest and most effective way to refer to a drug.

Adverse drug reaction is a response to a drug which is noxious and unintended and which occurs
at doses normally used in man for prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy of disease or for the
modification of physiologic function. An adverse drug reaction is harm directly caused by the
drug at normal doses, during normal use.
Side effect is an expected and known effect of a drug that is not the intended therapeutic
outcome.

Factors responsible for variations in the response to drugs:

- Genetic factors.
- Disease.
- Drug interactions.
- Age.
- Diet.
- Sex

Routes of drug administration. Ciccone (2007).

The kidneys are the primary sites for drug excretion while the primary location for drug
metabolism is the liver.

Abbreviation What It Means Latin Translation

a.c. before meals ante cibum
b.i.d. twice a day bis in die
b.i.n. twice a night bis in noctus
c with cum
cap capsule capsula
d day dies
daw dispense as written (no
substituting generic or brand
name drugs)
gtt drop gutta
h.s. bedtime hora somni
I.M. into the muscle
I.V. into the vein
mg milligram
 ml milliliter
noct at night
O.D. right eye oculo dextro
O.S. left eye oculo sinistro
O.U. in each eye oculo utro
p.c. after meals post cibum
p.o. by mouth per os
p.r.n. as needed pro re nata
pil pill pilula
qh every hour quaque hora
q3h every 3 hours quaque 3 hora
qAM every morning
qd daily quaque die
q.i.d. four times a day quater in die
q.o.d every other day
s without sine
s.l. under the tongue (sublingual)
tab tablet tabella
t.i.d. three times a day ter in die
tsp teaspoon
tbsp tablespoon
ut dict as directed by doctor

Prescription - an order, especially by a physician, for the preparation and administration of a

medicine, therapeutic regimen, assistive or corrective device, or other treatment.

Reference:
Pharmacology in Rehabilitation, 4th ed. by Charles D. Ciccone (2007)