Chapter 1
ORIENTATION TO PHARMACOLOGY
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Pharmacology
A
2
science that draws on information
from multiple disciplines, including:
Anatomy
Physiology
Psychology
Chemistry
Microbiology
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Four Basic Terms
 Drug
 Pharmacology
 Clinical
pharmacology
 Therapeutics
AKA -pharmacotherapeutics
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
3
Three Most Important
Properties of an Ideal Drug
1. Effectiveness !
2. Safety
3. Selectivity
Side effects vs Adverse effects
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
4
Examples of Adverse Effects
5

Certain anticancer drugs can increase the
risk for infection (for example,
cyclophosphamide, methotrexate)

Opioid analgesics at high doses can cause
respiratory depression (for example,
morphine, meperidine)

Aspirin and other related drugs can cause
severe gastric ulceration, perforation, and
bleeding when they are taken for
prolonged periods of time
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Additional Properties
of an Ideal Drug








Reversible action
Predictability
Ease of administration
Freedom from drug interactions
Low cost
Chemical stability
Simple generic name
However, no drug is ideal…
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
6
Therapeutic Objective of
Drug Therapy
 To
provide maximum benefit
with minimum harm
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
7
Factors That Determine the
Intensity of Drug Responses
 Administration
 Pharmacokinetics
 Pharmacodynamics
 Sources
of individual variation
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
8
9
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Sources of Individual
Variation

Physiologic variables
 Age,

gender, and weight
Pathologic variables
 Diminished

10
function of kidneys and liver
Genetic variables
 Can
alter the metabolism of drugs and
predispose the patient to unique interactions

Drug interactions
Copyright © 2016, 2013, 2010 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.