intro patho

Question 1

what is a drug

Answer 1

Any chemical that affects the physiological processes of a living organism can broadly be defined as a drug. The study or science of drugs is known as pharmacology.

Question 2

what pharmacology emcomposes

Answer 2

Pharmacology encompasses a variety of topics, including the following: * Absorption * Biochemical effects * Biotransformation (metabolism) * Distribution * Drug history * Drug origin * Drug receptor mechanisms * Excretion * Mechanisms of action * Physical and chemical properties * Physical effects * Therapeutic (beneficial) effects * Toxic (harmful) effects

Question 3

why do we need to know the diffrent speciallities of pharmocology

Answer 3

Pharmacology includes the following several subspecialty areas: pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, pharmacogenetics (pharmacogenomics), pharmacoeconomics, pharmacotherapeutics, pharmacognosy, and toxicology. Knowledge of these areas of pharmacology enables the nurse to better understand how drugs affect humans. Without understanding basic pharmacological principles, the nurse cannot fully appreciate the therapeutic benefits and potential toxicity of drugs.

Question 4

the three names and the patent plan and the therapueatic equivelent meaning

Answer 4

Drugs are identified by three main names: the chemical name, which describes the drug’s chemical structure; the generic name (or nonproprietary name), which is simpler and commonly used in official references; and the trade name (or proprietary name), which is the brand name given by the manufacturer. In Canada, new drug patents last 20 years from approval, but since drug development takes around 10 years, manufacturers typically have 10 years of exclusive sales to recover research and development costs. Once the patent expires, other companies can produce generic versions with the same active ingredient, often leading to lower prices. To manage costs, some institutions select a single preferred drug within a class, even if it has a different active ingredient. This is known as therapeutic equivalence, and it requires that the substituted drug has the same therapeutic effect on the body.

Question 5

patent plan

Answer 5

Patent lasts 20 years in Canada

When a new drug is invented and approved, the company gets a patent that lasts 20 years. This patent means only that company can make and sell the drug.

2. Drug development takes time

The process of discovering, testing, and getting approval for a new drug usually takes about 10 years.
So, even though the patent lasts 20 years, the company spends the first 10 years just developing the drug.

3. Effective exclusive sales time is about 10 years

Because of the long development time, the company really only has about 10 years left to sell the drug exclusively and make profits before the patent expires.

4. After patent expires: generics can be made

Once the 20-year patent is over, other companies are allowed to make and sell generic versions of the drug with the same active ingredient. These generics are usually much cheaper.

5. Managing drug costs: therapeutic equivalence

Hospitals or institutions want to save money. They may pick one drug as the preferred option within a group of similar drugs, even if those drugs don’t have the exact same active ingredient.
This is called therapeutic equivalence — it means the substitute drug must work just as well in treating the condition.

Quick summary:

Patent = 20 years total

Drug development = ~10 years inside those 20

Exclusive sales time = ~10 years

After patent ends → generics can be made

Institutions pick preferred drugs for cost savings → based on therapeutic equivalence

Question 6

therapeutics

Answer 6

Therapeutics refers to anything related to the treatment and healing of diseases or medical conditions — basically, things that help the body recover, feel better, or manage symptoms.

It can include:

Drugs

Therapies (like physical therapy)

Procedures or interventions aimed at improving health.

So, therapeutics = ways to treat and help the body.

Question 7

drug classification

Answer 7

Drug Classification

This is about organizing drugs into groups to make it easier for healthcare providers (like nurses) to recognize what they do.

Drugs can be classified in two main ways:
A. By Structure

Grouped based on similar chemical structures.

Example:

β-adrenergic blockers (e.g., propranolol, atenolol) all block beta receptors.

They look similar chemically and act in similar ways.

B. By Therapeutic Use (called Therapeutic Class)

Grouped based on what condition they treat.

Example:

Antibiotics (treat infections)

Antidepressants (treat depression)

Antihypertensives (treat high blood pressure)

So, penicillin and cephalexin are in the same therapeutic class (antibiotics) because they treat bacterial infections, even if they’re structurally different.

Question 8

more drug classification

Answer 8

Drugs are grouped together based on their similar properties. This is known as a drug classification. Drugs can be classified by their structure (e.g., β-adrenergic blockers) or by their therapeutic use (e.g., antibiotics, antihypertensives, antidepressants). Within the broad classification, each class may have subclasses—for example, penicillins are a subclass within the group of antibiotics, and β-adrenergic blockers are a subclass within the group of antihypertensives.

Drug Classification Example:

Drug class: Antibiotics
(All drugs that treat infections caused by bacteria)

Subclass: Penicillins
(A specific group of antibiotics that share similar chemical features like the beta-lactam ring and treat bacterial infections)

Drugs in subclass: Amoxicillin, Penicillin V
(Individual drugs that have similar therapeutic effects but may have slight differences in their chemical structure)

Important points:

To be in the same subclass, drugs must have the same therapeutic use (e.g., both treat bacterial infections).

They usually share a core chemical structure but don’t have to be exactly the same.

These small structural differences can affect things like potency, spectrum, or side effects, but they work similarly overall.

A drug class is NOT a drug itself.

It’s a category or group name used to organize drugs that share similar features (structure or therapeutic use).

Within that drug class, there can be smaller groups called subclasses that further organize drugs with more specific similarities.