L-4 Disease treatment pharmacology

Any (chemical) substance that causes an effect in the bod

Any substance that causes an unwanted effect in the bod

-Increase dose (amount), increase response (effect) – Dose-response relationship

Study of the movement of drugs within the body

Study of the pharmacological response to a drug

• absorption • metabolism • distribution • excretion

-molecules move from higher to lower concentration -usulaly small, non-ionised, or lipid-soluble molecules

-Chemicals move against concentration or electrochemical gradient -usually large, ionised, or water-soluble molecules

involves the movement of two or more chemicals across the membrane

• size of drug molecule • lipid solubility • degree of ionisation • interactions with food or other medication

biotransformation changes drug so it can be excreted involves biochemical reaction liver is the primary site

-liver enzymes that inactivate drugs and accelerate their excretion -some agents have no activity unless first metabolised -sometimes called P450 system

-drug protein complex and special barriers (placenta & brain) -blood flow

-only free, unbound drug can act -if drug is bound it cannot exert an effect -drug protein complex never reach target cells and cannot cross capillary membranes

-reduce nausea and morning sickness during pregnancy -caused severe foetal damage -

-kidneys -also excreted into bile -also excreted respiratory -also excreted by glandular secretions (sweat, milk)

-the length of time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by half after administration

amount of drug required to produce a therapeutic effect

the dosage range or serum concentration that achieves the desired drug effects

level of drug that will result in serious adverse effects

large dose given at the beginning of treatment to quickly obtain therapeutic range (plateau reached faster)