Transcript Document
Chapters 1 & 2
Recognizes reactions and side effects to medications
Monitors anesthesia and recovers patients
Monitors hospitalized patients’ response to medications
Administer medications as prescribed
Explain medications to clients, demonstrate how to administer, answer their questions
Understand why their patients are on certain medications
Fill drug orders and correctly write drug labels
Properly chart administered medication
Recognize allergic or anaphylactic reactions
Correctly calculate drug doses
All drugs are potentially poisons.
Drugs may be safe when administered by one route, yet deadly when administered another
way.
Just because a medication is safe for one species doesn’t mean it is safe for all species
Be cautious of getting too comfortable with medications. A complication will arise when you
least expect it.
The published dosage range is not always a safe dose for an animal.
When you begin to administer the same medications routinely, inappropriate dose
calculations should “feel wrong”.
Chemical name
N-(4-hydroxyphenyl) acetamide
Nonproprietary/generic name/active ingredient
acetaminophen
Proprietary/trade name
Tylenol
Generic equivalent
Drugs that have properties equivalent to the original
Not all drugs have generic versions
Chemical name
ethyl 4-(8-chloro-5,6-dihydro-11H-benzo[5,6]cyclohepta[1,2-b]pyridin-
11-ylidene) -1-piperidinecarboxylate
Nonproprietary/generic name/active ingredient
loratadine
Proprietary/trade name
Claritin
Generic equivalent
Drugs that have properties equivalent to the original
Not all drugs have generic versions
http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/drugs/trade-
name_and_generic_drugs/overview_of_generic_drugs_and_drug_naming.h
tml
Dose= amount of drug administered to a patient at one time
50 mg
Dosage/dosage regimen= determination of the amount to be given (over time)
15 mg/kg b.i.d. x 7d
Description of a drug’s physical appearance
TABLETS – powdered drugs compressed into disks
Molded: soft, chewable tablets that are mixed with a sugar and flavored
Enteric-coated: tablets with a coating that protects the drug against the acidity of the
stomach. Drug remains intact until the small intestines.
Coated tablets have a glossy sugar coating to disguise the taste, make it easier to swallow, and
ID concentration
CAPLETS – powdered drugs compressed into capsule-shapes tablets
GEL CAPS (aka capsules)- powdered drugs placed into a gelatin capsule that
will dissolve in the stomach
TROCHES (aka lozenges) – powdered drugs in a hard, candy-like tablet that is
kept in the mouth and slowly dissolved
SUPPOSITORIES – placed in the rectum where they are dissolved and absorbed
SOLUTION- a drug that is completely dissolved in a liquid and does not
settle out or precipitate when left standing
Syrup: drug is dissolved in sugar water
Elixir: drug is dissolved in alcohol
SUSPENSION- a liquid that contains a drug that does not dissolve within
it, but settles at the bottom of a container. Bottle needs to be shaken to
evenly resuspend the medication
Emulsion: drug is mixed with a liquid fat or an oil
TINCTURE- alcohol solution applied to the skin
LINIMENT- drugs dissolved or suspended in an oil base and rubbed on the skin
LOTION- drug suspensions or solutions that are applied to the skin without
rubbing
OINTMENT – suspensions or solutions that liquefy at body temperature
PASTE- semisolid, oral medications that keep their form at body temperature
AMPULE- small, airtight glass containers. Must be broken to access drug
VIAL- glass bottles with rubber stoppers that must be punctured by a needle to access the
drug
Multidose: antibiotics, anesthetics, antiinflammatories
Single-dose: vaccines
REPOSITORY/DEPOT – formulated to prolong absorption from the site of administration
Implants: solid injected/inserted under the skin
EXTRACT- therapeutic agent composed of plant or animal parts
Package inserts, Text books, Formularies, PDR
Info that may be listed in drug references:
The copyrighted or trademarked name of the drug
Whether or not the drug is over the counter or prescription
Whether or not the drug is a controlled substance and if so which class
Phonetic spelling of name
Nonproprietary name
Dosage form
USP
Drug characteristics and inert ingredients
Indications
Precautions, warnings, and contraindications
ADR
How to treat an overdose
Dosage and administration