| A | B |
|---|
| Accommodation | The process by which the body adjusts muscles near the eye to maintain clear vision during distance changes. |
| Active Ingredient | A small quantity of chemicals which produces a desired effect in the body. Active ingredients are combined with inactive ingredients to make convenient dosage forms. |
| Adherence | Patient compliance to drug regimens. |
| Adjudication | Third-party insurance approval process. |
| Adverse Effect | Side effect of medications. |
| Aerosol | Sprayable product most commonly used for topical application to the skin or for inhalation into the lungs and nasal passages. |
| Agonist | Stimulating or increasing the effect of a process; inducer. |
| Aliquot | Amount removed after diluting a product when the amount of an ingredient is less than the least weighable quantity for a Class A Balance. |
| Alligation | A process of mixing stronger- and weaker-concentrated portions of a product to obtain the desired concentration of a product. |
| Anesthetic Creams and Ointments | Medications used for treating irritating and itchy rashes, insect bites, stings, and sunburns. |
| Angioedema | Swelling of the mouth, tongue, and face due to adverse effects of ACE inhibitors or ARBs |
| Antacid | Medication used to reduce stomach acid; useful in treating heartburn or upset stomach. |
| Antagonist | Inhibiting or decreasing the effect of a process; inhibitor. |
| Antibiotic | A substance derived from a mold, bacterium, or synthetic process that inhibits the growth of other microorganisms. |
| Anti-diarrheal | Medication used to reduce or stop diarrhea |
| Antiflatulent | Medication used to reduce discomfort of gas in stomach or intestines. |
| Applicator Bottle | A container that has a slender, glass or plastic rod attached to the inside of its cap. The rod has a bulb-like end which acts as an applicator for liquids. |
| Antiemetic | A substance which prevents or stops vomiting. |
| Aseptic Technique | A series of steps and precautions that are used to decrease the chance of contamination during preparation of a sterile product. |
| Assignment of Claims | Common provision in a participating pharmacy agreement that specifies that the pharmacy, rather than the patient, will send claims to a third-party payer. |
| Audit | A formal examination of an organization to verify accounts. |
| Autonomy | Ability to make one’s own decisions. |
| Auxiliary Label | Supplemental label, other than the prescription label, that conveys instructions to the patient. |
| Average Wholesale Price (AWP) | The published ―list price‖ of a particular drug product. Most pharmacies are able to purchase at discounts below AWP. |
| Bactericidal | Destroying or killing bacteria. |
| Bacteriostatic | Inhibiting the growth of bacteria. |
| Bay | Storage area that is usually a U-shaped shelving unit in which medications are kept. |
| Beneficence | Acting in the best interest of the patient. |
| Beta-lactam ring | Functional group found on penicillin antibiotics that resistant bacteria target |
| Beyond-use date | Expiration date, in which a compounded sterile preparation may not be stored or transported. |
| Bioavailability | Measure of how much of the drug actually gets into the blood to be distributed in the body. |
| Blood Glucose Meter | Device used to measure the concentration of sugar in the blood. People with diabetes use this device to measure their blood sugar levels. |
| Brand Name | The trademark name given to products by their manufacturers. |
| Bronchi | Branches of the lungs. |
| Bronchoconstriction | closing of lungs resulting in difficulty breathing. |
| Bronchodilation | opening of lungs resulting in easier breathing. |
| Buccal Tablet | Tablet that is placed in the buccal pouch (i.e., the area between the cheek and gums) to allow the active ingredients to be absorbed directly into the blood stream. |
