Pharmacology 1

Congestive cardiac failure Congestive cardiac failure (CCF) is the combined failure of both the left and right sides of the heart. The incidence of cardiac failure in the UK is between 1 and 5 per 1000 per year, and doubles for each decade of life after the age of 45. CCF occurs when the cardiac …

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Basic concepts The heart is a pump which together with the vascular system supplies the tissues with blood containing oxygen and nutrients, and removes waste products. The flow of blood around the body is as follows: Deoxygenated blood from body tissues reaches the right atrium through the systemic veins (the superior and inferior venae cavae). Blood …

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Drug history A patient’s drug history is a crucial component of the clerking process, as drug effects account for a significant proportion of hospital admissions, and potential drug interactions and adverse events are crucial to foresee. A complete list of the names and doses of prescribed drugs taken by the patient (noting the proprietary and …

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Drugs are chemical substances that cause changes in organisms’ physiology or psychology when consumed. They chemical substances used to treat, prevent, and/or ameliorate diseases. Drug interactions Drugs interact in a number of ways that may produce unwanted effects. Two types of interactions exist: pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic. Pharmacodynamic interactions Pharmacodynamic interactions involve a direct conflict between the …

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Most drugs produce their effects by acting through specific protein molecules called receptors. Receptors respond to endogenous chemicals in the body that are either synaptic transmitter substances (e.g. ACh, noradrenaline) or hormones (endocrine, e.g. insulin; or local mediators, e.g. histamine). These chemicals or drugs are classed as: Agonists: Activate receptors and produce a subsequent response. Antagonists: Associate with …

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What is pharmacology? Pharmacology is the study of the actions, mechanisms, uses and adverse effects of drugs. A drug is any natural or synthetic substance that alters the physiological state of a living organism. Drugs can be divided into two groups: Medicinal drugs: substances used for the prevention, treatment and diagnosis of disease. Non-medicinal (social) …

Molecular basis of pharmacology Read More »