| A | B |
|---|
| parenteral | administration of a substance, such as a drug, by any route other than through the gastrointestinal system |
| buccal | mouth cavity between jaw and cheek |
| enteral | entry by way of the gastrointestinal system |
| inhalation | drug administration route in which the client inhales the drug orally or nasally |
| intradermal | pertaining to the dermis area within the upper layers of the skin |
| intramuscular | area within a muscle |
| intravenous | area within a vein |
| medication errors | any preventable event or activity that can cause inappropriate medication use or client harm |
| subcutaneous | under the skin or dermis layer in the fatty tissue layer |
| sublingual | in the mouth, under the tongue |
| transdermal | through the skin |
| unit dose | system of drug delivery by which a drug order is filled and medication |
| medication order | ordered by the primary health care provider |
| subcut route | insert the needle at a 45° or 90° angle |
| IM route | most commonly used 22-gauge needle that is 1½ in |
| Z-track | when a drug is highly irritating to tissues or has the ability permanently to stain the skin |
| topical drugs | act on the skin and are not typically absorbed into the circulation |
| identifiers | means to identify who the client is |
| standing order | order is pre-established and approved for use by nurses and other health care providers under specific conditions |
| single order | order to administer the drug one time only |
| PRN order | order to administer the drug as needed |
| STAT order | one-time order given as soon as possible |
| absorption | a drug is moved from the site of administration to body fluids; first process during pharmacokinetics |
| adverse reaction | undesirable drug effect |
| allergic reaction | hypersensitive reaction by the immune system |
| anaphylactic shock | sudden, severe hypersensitivity reaction with symptoms that progress rapidly and may result in death if not treated |
| angioedema | localized wheals or swellings in subcutaneous tissues or mucous membranes, which may be caused by an allergic response |
| bioavailability | the proportion of a drug available to body tissues when it reaches the circulatory system |
| controlled substances | drugs that have the potential for abuse and dependency, both physical and psychological |
| cumulative drug effect | when the body is unable to metabolize and excrete one dose of a drug before the next is given |
| distribution | drug moves from circulation to body tissue or a target site |
| drug idiosyncrasy | any unusual or abnormal response that differs from the response normally expected to a specific drug and dosage |
| drug tolerance | decreased response to a drug, requiring an increase in dosage to achieve the desired effect |
| excretion | elimination of a drug from the body |
| first pass effect | action by which an oral drug is absorbed and carried directly to the liver |
| half life | time required for the body to eliminate 50% of a drug |
| hypersensitive | undesirable reaction produced by a normal immune system |
| metabolism | drug is changed to a form that can be excreted; also called biotransformation |
| metabolite | inactive form of the original drug |
| pharmaceutic | pertaining to the phase during which a drug dissolves in the body |
| pharmacodynamics | study of the drug mechanisms that produce biochemical or physiologic changes in the body |
| pharmacokinetics | study of drug transit (or activity) after administration |
| physical dependency | habitual use of a drug, where negative physical withdrawal symptoms result from abrupt discontinuation |
| psychological dependency | compulsion or craving to use a substance to obtain a pleasurable experience |
| receptor | a reactive site on the surface of a cell |
| teratogen | drug or substance that causes abnormal development of the fetus, leading to deformities |
| toxic | poisonous or harmful |
| chemical name | scientific term that describes the molecular structure of a drug |
| generic name | considered the official name of a drug and is the name given to a drug that can be made or marketed by any company |
| trade name | selected by a specific company producing the drug for marketing purposes |
| prescription drugs | legend drugs; ordered by a licensed health care provider |
| over-the-counter | may be purchased without a prescription |
| active transport | cellular energy is used to move the drug from an area of low concentration to one of high concentration |
| passive transport | no cellular energy is used as the drug moves from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration |
| pinocytosis | cells engulf the drug particle |
| solubility | drug’s ability to cross the cell membrane affects its distribution |
| onset of action | time between administration of the drug and onset of its therapeutic effect |
| peak concentration | when absorption rate equals the elimination rate |
| antigen | a foreign substance |
| antibodies | protein substances that protect against antigens |
| additive reaction | occurs when the combined effect of two drugs is equal to the sum of each drug given alone |
| synergism | occurs when drugs interact with each other and produce an effect that is greater than the sum of their separate actions |
| antagonistic reaction | occurs when one drug interferes with the action of another, causing neutralization or a decrease in the effect of one of the drugs |
