PHARMACOLO NURS 251 (nurs251)

Module 9 9.1: Introduction to Specialty Medications In general, specialty medications are high cost medications used for treating complex disease states. They can be challenging to both manufacture and administer, and they often require significant patient education and close monitoring to ensure their safe and appropriate use. Although specialty medications were once a very small piece of the pharmaceutical industry, there has been a significant change over the last 20 years and especially...

Module 8 8.1: Pain Pain is a basic protective mechanism of the body. The sensation of pain may serve as a warning of imminent danger (fire) or that there is something wrong in the body (cancer). Alternatively, pain can accompany the normal healing process (inflammation). When the intensity and duration of a person’s pain begin to affect their ability to function, analgesics can become very helpful. Analgesics are defined as medications that relieve pain without causing a loss of conscious...

Module 7 7.1: Introduction to Gastroenterology The organs of the upper gastrointestinal tract (mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and duodenum) work in conjunction to first digest food and then absorb the nutrients obtained from the digested food. Both the stomach and the upper part of the small intestines (duodenum) release hormones and enzymes that help in this process. When food enters the body, the stomach is triggered to begin releasing gastric juices such as hydrochloric acid (HCl) a...

Module 6 6.1: Introduction to Infectious Diseases Infectious diseases are caused by pathogenic (disease-causing) organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and parasites as well as by viruses. Bacteria are defined as single-celled microorganisms. They can be found virtually everywhere and can either be harmless or very dangerous. This module will focus on the role of antibiotics to eliminate the pathogenic effects brought on by bacteria within a human host. Antibiotics are drugs that have the abili...

Module 5 5.1: Introduction to Pulmonology The main function of the respiratory system is two-fold: (1) to deliver oxygen to the cells of the body and (2) remove carbon dioxide from the body. This is accomplished through the combination of the upper respiratory tract working in communication with the lower respiratory tract. A diagram of the anatomy of the respiratory tract is shown in Figure 5.1. The upper respiratory tract (URT) is outside the chest cavity and includes the nose, and nasoph...

Module 4 4.1: Introduction to Endocrinology The endocrine system, also referred to as the hormone system, is a series of glands located throughout the body that functions to maintain homeostasis. By modulating the release of chemical messengers (hormones), the endocrine system is able to send signals to regulate organ functions. The endocrine system is unique in that it works through hormones that generally have a longer and slower onset and duration of action. There are actually eight endo...

Module 1 1.1: An Introduction to Pharmacology Concepts Pharmacology is the study or science of drugs. What is a drug? A drug is any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism. Commonly, the term drug refers to any medication that is used for diagnosing, curing, or treating disease. Drug Effects Drugs have many different effects on the body including the following: (1) therapeutic effects, (2) side effects, (3) adverse effects, and (4) toxic effects. Therapeutic ...

Module 3 3.1: Introduction to Cardiology Taking a Blood Pressure Blood pressure is the pressure exerted against the walls of blood vessels as blood circulates through the body. Blood pressure is measured using an instrument called a sphygmomanometer, perhaps more commonly known as the blood pressure cuff. The pressures associated are measured in units of millimeters of mercury (mm/Hg). The health care provider inflates a blood pressure cuff in order to cut off the blood flow from the brach...

2.1: Introduction Nonprescription medications, perhaps more commonly known as over-the-counter (OTC) medications, are medications that are available without a prescription and are available in most cases without restriction. There are a few medications that do not require a prescription but are kept behind the pharmacy counter and ID is required for purchase. An example of this would be any medication containing the decongestant pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine when combines with other easi...

1.1: An Introduction to Pharmacology Concepts Pharmacology is the study or science of drugs. What is a drug? A drug is any chemical that affects the physiologic processes of a living organism. Commonly, the term drug refers to any medication that is used for diagnosing, curing, or treating disease. Drug Effects Drugs have many different effects on the body including the following: (1) therapeutic effects, (2) side effects, (3) adverse effects, and (4) toxic effects. Therapeutic effect is ...