Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Medicine & Health

Pharmacology Fundamentals

Pharmacokinetics: What the Body Does to the Drug

Phases:

1. Absorption – How a drug enters the bloodstream

2. Distribution – How a drug travels through the body

3. Metabolism – How a drug is broken down (mainly in the liver)

4. Excretion – How a drug leaves the body (mainly through the kidneys)

🧠 Memory Trick: ADME — Absorb, Deliver, Metabolize, Exit

Pharmacodynamics: What the Drug Does to the Body

• Describes how a drug works at the target site

• Involves receptor binding, enzyme interactions, and therapeutic vs. side effects

Examples:

• Beta blockers bind to beta receptors → slow heart rate

• Insulin binds to insulin receptors → lowers blood sugar

Drug Release Types: ER, IR, SR, XL, CR

Diabetes Mellitus Essentials

• Type 1: Autoimmune, insulin-dependent, early onset.
• Type 2: Insulin resistance, gradual onset, linked to diet/weight.
• Diagnosis: Fasting glucose >126 mg/dL, HbA1c.
• Metformin: Hold before contrast dye; risk of lactic acidosis.

Hypoglycemia vs. Hyperglycemia

• Hypoglycemia (<70 mg/dL): Shaky, sweaty, confused, hungry.
• Hyperglycemia: Headache, nausea, fruity breath.
• Treatment: Juice/glucose if conscious; glucagon or D50 if unconscious.

Insulin Types and Administration

• Rapid-acting (Lispro): Onset 10–15 min, eat immediately after injection.
• Short-acting (Regular): Onset 30–60 min.
• Intermediate-acting (NPH): Peak 4–12 hr (cloudy appearance).
• Long-acting (Glargine): No peak, lasts 24 hr.
• Mixing Insulin: Clear (Regular) before

Anti-Motility Medications (Pharmacy Only)

These medications work by relaxing the smooth muscles in the intestinal wall, reducing bowel movements.

Loperamide + Co-phenotrope (Dhamotil)

Loperamide

• Indication: Symptomatic relief of acute or chronic diarrhea.
• Dose: Maximum 16mg daily. Limit use to less than 48 hours.
• Side Effects: Constipation, nausea, vomiting, bloating.
• Special Precautions (SPC):
  • Stop taking once diarrhea resolves (constipation may occur).
  • Take with food.

Co-phenotrope

• Indication: Acute diarrhea in adults.
• Dose: Maximum 8 tablets daily.
• Contraindications: Not for children under 12 years old.
• Special Precautions (SPC): May cause dizziness and drowsiness; do not drive or operate machinery.

Adsorbent Medications (General Sales List)

Adsorbents... Continue reading "Effective Diarrhea Relief: Medications and Management" »

Common Medical Abbreviations

• RSI: Repetitive Stress Injury
• SAD: Seasonal Affective Disorder
• SIDS: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
• GP: General Practitioner
• HAV: Hepatitis A Virus
• MD: Medical Doctor

Medications and Treatments

• Decongestant: Decreases nasal stuffiness and relieves a runny nose.
• Anticoagulant: Prevents or delays blood clotting.
• Sedative: Relieves symptoms of stress, irritability, or excitement.
• Laxative: Relieves constipation.
• Digitalis: Strengthens the failing heart.
• Diuretic: Removes excess fluid from the body.
• Antibiotic: Treats infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms.
• Insulin: Regulates the level of sugar in the blood, used to treat diabetes.

Common Symptoms and Their Causes

• Fainting, dizziness: Anemia
• Headache: Sinus infection
• Fever:

Human Anatomy: English-Spanish Vocabulary

• Mouth / Boca
• Knee / Rodilla
• Ears / Orejas
• Lower Arm / Forearm / Antebrazo
• Breast / Pecho
• Eyes / Ojos
• Ankle / Tobillo
• Elbow / Codo
• Waist / Cintura
• Face / Cara
• Calf / Gemelos
• Fingers / Dedos
• Thorax / Chest / Pecho
• Lips / Labios
• Heel / Talón
• Upper Arm / Arm / Brazo
• Nose / Nariz
• Eyebrows / Cejas
• Navel / Umbilicus / Ombligo
• Eyelids / Párpados
• Abdomen / Abdomen
• Forehead / Frente
• Thigh / Muslo
• Hand / Mano
• Back / Espalda
• Cheek / Mejilla
• Toe / Dedo del pie
• Eyelashes / Pestañas
• Leg / Pierna
• Foot / Pie
• Mandible / Jaw / Mandíbula

Medical Symptoms and Signs: English-Spanish

• Fatigue (Symptom) / Fatiga
• Fever (Sign) / Fiebre
• High Blood Pressure (Sign) / Presión Arterial Alta
• Skin Rash (Sign) / Erupción Cutánea
• Lump (Sign) / Bulto
• Color (Sign) /

Parkinson's Disease: Pharmacological Treatments

The primary pharmacological treatment for Parkinson's disease focuses on replenishing dopamine, the neurotransmitter deficient in the disease, and managing associated symptoms. Levodopa, often combined with carbidopa, is the cornerstone of treatment, alongside dopamine agonists, MAO-B inhibitors, COMT inhibitors, and anticholinergic agents.

Key Medications for Parkinson's Disease

1. Levodopa

   Levodopa is a dopamine precursor that can cross the blood-brain barrier and is converted into dopamine in the brain.

   It is typically combined with carbidopa, which inhibits the breakdown of levodopa before it reaches the brain, reducing side effects and improving efficacy.

   Levodopa is effective in improving motor symptoms

Vocabulary

• Being admired by the people around you
• Being part of a loving family
• Doing really well in your studies or work
• Having enough money to live well
• Having friends
• Having a lot of time to spend on the things I love doing
• Living in a nice neighborhood

Achieve, Carry Out, and Devote

• Achieve: *conseguir/lograr* (It helped her to achieve her aim of improving her family's happiness)
• Carry out: *llevar a cabo* (Susan's concerns prompted her to carry out her own research)
• Devote: *dedicar* (We know devoting more time...)

Stay, Spend, and Pass

• Stay: *permanecer, estar tiempo* (I stayed 2 hours listening to the radio)
• Spend: *pasar/gastar* (I have spent my life studying)
• Pass: *pasar tiempo*

Make, Cause, and Have

• Make: *hizo que* (The bad sound made the film difficult

English Grammar Essentials

Active and Passive Voice Tenses

Time Clauses and Subordinating Conjunctions

Pharmacology Fundamentals

Medical Prescription Components and Units

A medical prescription includes the date, patient identification (such as name, age, and weight if relevant), the Rx symbol (meaning "take"), the inscription (drug name, strength, dosage form, and quantity), the subscription (instructions to the pharmacist), the signatura or "Sig." (directions for the patient including route, frequency, and duration), the prescriber's information (name, signature, license number), and refill instructions. Units of measurement include micrograms (µg), milligrams (mg), grams (g), milliliters (mL), liters (L), concentrations such as percentage (%) and mg/mL, international units (IU), and sometimes weight per kilogram of body weight. Obsolete units... Continue reading "Pharmacology Essentials: Drug Forms, Actions, and Therapeutic Classes" »