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The Basics of Pharmacology

This document provides an overview of basic pharmacology concepts. It defines a drug as any chemical that affects living organisms. Pharmacology is divided into pharmacokinetics, which describes how the body affects drugs, and pharmacodynamics, which describes how drugs affect the body. Key pharmacokinetics concepts covered include absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs in the body over time. Pharmacodynamics concepts discussed are mechanisms of action, dose-response relationships, toxicity, and adverse drug reactions. Other terms defined are hypersensitivity, placebo, tolerance, resistance, and therapeutic index.

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Moatiz Riaz
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Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
36 views

The Basics of Pharmacology

This document provides an overview of basic pharmacology concepts. It defines a drug as any chemical that affects living organisms. Pharmacology is divided into pharmacokinetics, which describes how the body affects drugs, and pharmacodynamics, which describes how drugs affect the body. Key pharmacokinetics concepts covered include absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs in the body over time. Pharmacodynamics concepts discussed are mechanisms of action, dose-response relationships, toxicity, and adverse drug reactions. Other terms defined are hypersensitivity, placebo, tolerance, resistance, and therapeutic index.

Uploaded by

Moatiz Riaz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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THE BASICS OF

PHARMACOLOGY
Pharmacologic Principles
Chapter 2-2

Drug

 Any chemical that affects the processes of


a living organism
Pharmacologic Principles
Chapter 2-3

Pharmacology

 The study or science of drugs


Pharmacology
 The subject can be divided into two main sections:

 Pharmacokinetics

 Pharmacodynamics
PHARMACOKINETICS
Pharmacokinetics

Effect of the body on the Drug


PK Parameters
 LADME
 Loading dose 
 Volume of distribution
 Bioequivalence 
 Bioavailability
 Onset of action 
 Half-life, C max, Tmax, AUC
 Plasma protein binding
 Therapeutic index (LD50/ED50)
LADME
 L
 Liberation - is the process of release of drug from the
formulation.
 A
 Absorption - How is the medication absorbed
(through the skin, the intestine, the oral mucosa)?
 D
 Distribution - How does it spread through the
organism?
LADME
 M
 Metabolism - Is the medication converted chemically
inside the body, and into which substances. Are these
active? Could they be toxic?
 E
 Excretion - How is the medication eliminated (through
the bile, urine, breath, skin)?
Onset of Action

Onset of action is the duration of time it takes for a


drug's effects to come to prominence upon
administration
Peak Plasma Concentration

The highest level (concentration) of drug that can


be obtained in the blood

 It is denoted as  C max
Peak Plasma Concentration
5
C max
Concentration (mg/L

3
or µg/ml)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time (hours or min)


T max

The amount of time that a drug is present at the


maximum concentration in serum

 It is denoted by  T max
T max
5
Concentration (mg/L

3
or µg/ml)

T max

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time (hours or min)


Half Life

Half Life of a drug is the time, from the peak


plasma concentration of drug, to lose half of its
concentration (pharmacologic & physiologic
activity)

 It is denoted by  t½
Half Life
5
Concentration (mg/L

3
or µg/ml)

1
T ½

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Time (hours or min)


Therapeutic Index

The ratio between the toxic dose and the


therapeutic dose of a drug, used as a measure of
the relative safety of the drug for a particular
treatment.
 Therapeutic index = LD50
ED50
PHARMACODYNAMICS
Pharmacodynamics
 Pharmacodynamics,
abbreviated as PD,

From Ancient Greek


pharmakon  "drug" and
dynamic  “functions/actions”
Pharmacodynamics

The action or effects of drugs on


living organisms.
PD Parameters

 Mechanism of Action

 Dose-response relationship
 (Efficacy, Potency)

 Toxicity
Mechanism of Action

The specific biochemical interaction through


which a drug produces its pharmacological effect.

A mechanism of action usually includes the


specific molecular targets to which the drug binds,
such as an enzyme or receptor.
Toxicity

 Toxicity is the degree to which a substance is able


to damage an exposed organism
ADR

 Adverse drug reaction(s) is the harm(s)


associated with the use of given medications at
a normal dose
OTHER COMMONLY
USED TERMS
Hypersensitivity

An adverse reaction to contact with specific


substances in quantities that usually produce no
reaction in normal individuals, i.e. an allergic
tendency.
Placebo

A substance containing no active drug,


administered to a patient participating in a medical
experiment as a control.
 Those receiving a placebo often get better, a
phenomenon known as the placebo effect.
Tolerance / Resistance
 Drug Tolerance is  Drug resistance is the
when a subject's reduction in
reaction to a drug effectiveness of a drug
decreases, so that in curing a disease or
larger doses are improving a patient's
required to achieve the symptoms.
same effect.
THAT’S ALL FOR THIS
SESSION

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