Transcript Ch1 pharm student

Veterinary Pharmacology and
the Veterinary Technician
Chapter 1
Pharmacology and technicians: LVT vs OJT
• LVTs know WHY a particular drug was prescribed
• LVTs are aware of ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS
• LVTs are aware of a drug’s beneficial effects
• LVTs know whether a patient is properly responding to
anesthesia
• LVTs know how to monitor a hospitalized patient’s response
to medication
• LVTs know how to interpret a client’s description of their
pet’s reaction to medication
RULES to live by:
1. All drugs are ________________.
-How a drug is administered can be beneficial or
detrimental to the animal’s health
2. No drug is a ________________ _______________.
-Will alter physiology, which may not be
functioning normally in that animal
3. All doses are ________________.
-The published dose may need to be altered
4. Complacency ____________.
-If same meds are used frequently, a false sense of
security may develop
What’s in a name?
CHEMICAL NAME
Describes the chemical composition/ molecular structure of the
drug (structure is sometimes seen on package inserts)
Long, wordy, hard to say
Rarely used by the veterinary professional
2(Diphenylmethoxy)-N,N-dimethylethylamine
hydrochloride
What’s in a name?
GENERIC NAME
Also called the _____________________ name
Written in LOWER case
Official identifying name of the drug
Describes the active drug(s) in the product
Easier to pronounce and shorter than the chemical name
diphenhydramine hydrochloride
What’s in a name?
TRADE NAME
• Also called the ____________________________ name
• Written in capital letters or begins with a capital letter
Considered a proper noun
Name is used only by the manufacturer that it is registered to
Have _____ or _____ next to the name to imply that the name
is registered
This name is optional
Benadryl
GENERIC EQUIVALENTS
 When a company receives FDA approval to market a new
drug, that company is the only one who can manufacture
the product for _______ years once the patent is
approved.
 Once the product is on the market, it uses its funds to
recover the costs of research, development, marketing,
and testing.
GENERIC EQUIVALENTS
 When the waiting period is over, other companies may
manufacture the product using a different trade name
(called the generic equivalent) .
 These products are cheaper because these companies
are not recouping money from drug development.
 Bioequivalence must be at least _______%
• Therapeutic agents that are composed of
_____________ or _________________ parts instead
of synthesized chemicals.
• Extracts must produce consistent effects from
bottle to bottle.
– If a company markets a product as a
________________________ (nutritional supplement)
instead of an extract, FDA registration is not
required and potency may vary from bottle to
bottle.
EXTRACTS
LEGEND VS OTC
• The FDA determines whether a drug will be
LEGEND (prescription) or OTC
– Decision is based on toxicity of drug, method
of use, and how well directions can be written
for drug’s usage
– Over the counter drugs contain an ingredient
that is deemed safe or is in a low enough
concentration to not likely cause harm.
– Legend/prescription drugs are prescribed by
licensed veterinarians and have potential toxic
effects or must be administered in a way that
requires the services of trained personnel.
• Prescription drugs must state: “Caution:
Federal law restricts this drug go use by or
on the order of a licensed veterinarian.”
• Although LVTs cannot prescribe medications,
they can fill drug orders and dispense
medications under the direction of a licensed
veterinarian.
• Do not automatically refill medications without
the permission of the prescribing veterinarian.
VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
**A valid VCPR is required before a
drug can be prescribed to a patient.**
• The veterinarian assumes
responsibility for making decisions
regarding the patient’s health.
• The client agrees to follow the
veterinarian’s instructions.
VETERINARIAN-CLIENT-PATIENT RELATIONSHIP
• The veterinarian knows enough about the patient to
make a preliminary diagnosis or has examined the
patient recently.
• The veterinarian is available for follow-up care or has
arranged for emergency care.
• The veterinarian oversees treatment, compliance,
and outcome.
• Patient records are maintained.
Dosage forms- SOLIDS
•_______________ – powdered drug + excipient
compressed into disk
– ______________: chewable, mixed with a sugar and
flavored
– ______________-coated: coating protects the drug
against the acidity of the stomach; allows it to remain
intact until the small intestines.
– ______________-release/________________-release: tablet
dissolves slowly, meds are released gradually
Dosage forms- SOLIDS
•_______________– powdered drug compressed into
capsule-shaped tablet
•______________(aka CAPSULE)- container made of
gelatin/starch/cellulose that houses a powder.
•_______________ (aka lozenge) – drug is in a hard, candylike tablet that is kept in the mouth and slowly dissolved
Dosage forms- SOLIDS
•____________________– medication placed in the rectum
where it is dissolved and absorbed
•_______________- large rectangular tablets given to large
animals with a balling gun
•______________- semisolid that keeps its form at body
temperature
Dosage forms- LIQUIDS
___________________- drug is completely
dissolved in a liquid and does not settle out when
left standing
___________________: IV drugs are added to ions
(K, Cl, Na) to facilitate dissolving.
___________________: drug is dissolved in sugar
solution for taste and preservation. Sugar-free
syrups use artificial sweeteners. NO
_________________ in dogs
___________________: drug is dissolved in alcohol
and flavored. Rarely used in animals due to taste.
Dosage forms- LIQUIDS
___________________- drug does not
dissolve within liquid, but settles at the
bottom of a container. Needs to be
shaken to evenly re-suspend. Cloudy.
Emulsion: liquid drug is mixed with a liquid
fat or an oil
Dosage forms- TOPICALS
• ________________- alcohol solution applied to the skin
• ________________- drugs in an oil base that are rubbed into the
skin
• ________________-emulsion of oil and water applied to the skin
by dabbing; provides soothing effect
• ________________ – semisolid of oil and water that liquefies on
the skin at room temp
Dosage forms-INJECTABLES
• ________________- small, airtight glass containers
with a neck. Must be broken to access drug.
Single dose.
• _____________- glass bottles with rubber stoppers
that must be punctured by a needle
– Multidose: contain preservatives to extend shelf life
(antibiotics, anesthetics, anti-inflammatories)
– Single-dose: discarded after one use (vaccines)
• ____________________/DEPOT – formulated to
prolong absorption from the site of administration
– IMPLANT- pellet containing a chemical or hormone that
is inserted subcutaneously and absorbed over time.
Extra-label/Off-label drug use
•Using a medication in a manner that is not approved by FDA
– Different species, dosage, route of administration,
disease being treated than what the package insert
indicates
•AMDUCA allows off-label drug use if “the health of the animal is
threatened, or suffering or death may result from failure to
treat.”
•Only allowed when:
– There is no approved drug to treat the animal's condition or
the approved drug's dosage is not effective.
– A careful diagnosis has been made and a valid VCPR exists.
– The identity of the animal being treated is carefully
maintained.
– The withdrawal time is extended.
– The drug is properly labeled to ensure safety.
SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION
•Text books
–Written by experts, but out of date by publication.
–Good source of extra-label info
•PDR (Physician’s Desk Reference)
–Human drug resource
–Can be useful for basic info if an animal accidentally ingests a
human medication
•Veterinary journals
–Case studies and clinical trials
•Conference proceedings
SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION
•Internet
–Remember: anyone can make a website
–Reliable sites:
• List the author’s name, their credentials, contact info
• List a (recent) date that the website was last updated
• Cite references
• Ends in .gov or .edu or is tied to a reputable college/university
–Questionable sites:
• Misspellings/poor grammar
• Cheap looking
• Sponsored by a biased group
• Use hyperboles
• Advertise unrelated products
SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION
Package inserts, Formularies
Info that may be listed (Heading):
The copyright or trademark name of the drug
Whether or not the drug is over the counter or prescription (Rx)
Whether or not the drug is a controlled substance and if so which
schedule
Phonetic spelling of name
Nonproprietary name
Dosage form
USP designation
SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION
Info that may be listed (after Heading):
Active and inert ingredients
Indications
Precautions, warnings, and
contraindications (ADR)
Black box warnings
How to treat an overdose
Dosage and administration
Pharmacology (Pharmacodynamics and
Pharmacokinetics)