1. General Pharmacology CHAPTER 16

2. Pharmacology: The science that deals with the origins, ingredients, uses and actions of medical substances.

3. Drug: A substance that alters the body’s functions when absorbed.

4. Medication Information Types or Categories of Medications

5. The EMT who is familiar with the name, dose, route, effects, indications and contraindications of a drug, and has medical director approval, can assist a patient with their medication.

6. Medication Types or Categories  EMS unit medications  Activated charcoal  Oral glucose  Oxygen  Physician-prescribed patient medications  Nitroglycerin  Epinephrine auto-injector  Inhalers

7. Medications - Activated Charcoal

8. Medications - Oral Glucose

9. Medications - Oxygen

10. Medications - Inhaler

11. Medications - Nitroglycerin

12. Medications - Epinephrine

13. Assisting with Medications

14. Medication Names

15. Generic name: The name listed in the United States Pharmacopeia; a government publication listing all medications used in the United States.

16. Trade name: A copyrighted brand name assigned to a medicine by its manufacturer. The trade name is capitalized and followed by the ® symbol.

17. Generic and Trade Names of Selected Medications Generic NameTrade Name Oral glucoseInsta-glucose AlbuterolProventil Nitroglycerin Epinephrine Nitrostat Adrenalin

18. Medication Forms

19. Forms of Medication  Tablet  Gel  Gas  Aerosol  Liquid  Ointment  Paste  Cream  Powder  Syrup  Pill  Capsule

20. Drug Dynamics

21. Drug Actions  Systemic  Affecting the entire body  Local  Affecting a specific area of the body

22. Absorption: Uptake of a substance through some surface of the body.

23. Elimination: The removal of a substance from the body. Drugs are eliminated by way of the liver, kidney, bowels and lungs.

24. Medication Administration Indications and Contraindications

25. Indication: The intended use of a medication for treating a specific illness or condition.

26. Contraindication: A situation in which a medication should not be used due to the potential for harm it might cause a patient.

27. Dose: The prescribed or recommended amount of a medication that should be administered to a patient.

28. Five Rs of Drug Administration  Right patient  Right drug  Right time  Right dose  Right route

29. Administration Routes

30. Routes of Administration  Oral  Generally safe, easy, and economical  Medication is swallowed  Absorbed slowly into digestive tract  Patients must be alert to take medications  Sublingual  Place medication under the tongue  Absorbed rapidly into the capillaries  Digestive tract is bypassed

31. Routes of Administration continued  Inhalation  Fine mist or gas absorbed by the lung capillaries  Patients may need assistance with administration  Onset of action is generally rapid  Delivery of drug is usually an inhaler device

32. Routes of Administration continued  Subcutaneous  Drug is injected under skin into fat  Absorbed slowly by the surrounding bloodstream  Common route for epinephrine  Intravenous  Liquid injected directly into the bloodstream  Usually administered by ALS personnel  Onset of action is immediate

33. Routes of Administration continued  Intramuscular  Drug is injected deep into muscle tissue  Absorbed slowly through capillaries  Common route for epinephrine autoinjectors

34.  Topical  Applied and absorbed through the skin  Onset of action is very slow  Common medications administered are NTG patches and creams  Rectal  Drug is given through anus into rectum  Absorbed at rate similar to oral route  Not commonly done in the field Routes of Administration continued

35. If you receive an order to administer a medication, always repeat medication name, dose and route back to the physician for confirmation.

36. Medication Actions Actions

37. Mechanism of action: The desired effect of the drug on the body.

38. Side Effects

39. Side effects: Any action of a drug other than the desired one.

40. Common side effects of numerous medications include nausea and vomiting.

41. Documentation and Reassessment Strategies

42. Medication Documentation  Who ordered the medication - physician and time?  What medication was administered?  What time was the medication administered?  What was the dose given?

43.  What was the route?  Who administered the drug?  What were the vital signs before and after administration?  What was the patient’s response to the medication? Medication Documentation continued

44. SUMMARY Medication Information Medication Information Medication Administration Medication Administration Medication Actions Medication Actions  Medication Documentation