2. Introduction
A route of administration in pharmacology and toxicology is the path
by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the
body.
ROA are generally classified by the location at which the substance
is applied. Ex. oral and intravenous administration.
Routes can also be classified based on where the target of action is.
Action may be topical (local), enteral (system-wide effect, but
delivered through the gastrointestinal tract), or parenteral (systemic
action, but delivered by routes other than the GI tract).
3. Continued….
Administration of medication is a basic nursing function that
involves knowledge and skills.
The safe and accurate administration of medication is one of
the most important responsibilities of nurse.
Improper administration of medication can cause harmful
effects on human body.
The nurse administering medication should have the basic
knowledge regarding drugs which include following :-
4. 1. Name of drug 11. Prescription and non prescription
medication
2.Classification of drugs 12. Weights and measures
3. Route and time of administration 13. Preparation of solution and
calculation of doses
4. Principles of drug action 14. Storing of medications
5. Dosage 15.Abbreviations and symbols
6. Medication standards 16. Rules for administration of
medications
7. Type and forms of drugs 17. Nurse practice acts
8. Sources of information about
medication
18. Legal aspects of medication
administration
9. System of medication distribution 19. Clients rights
10. Medication order 20. Nurses role in administration of
medication
5. Drugs and medications
A drug is any substance that alters physiological function, with the
potential for affecting health.
Medicine may be defined as a substance used to promote health,
to prevent illness, to diagnosis or to cure disease.
A drug is a chemical substance that modifies body function which
may or may not have a therapeutic effect. A medication is a drug
administered for its therapeutic effects.
Thus all medications are drugs but not all drugs are medications.
6. Name of drugs
1. Chemical name - Is name by which a drug is known to the
chemists. Is it indicates the ingredients of drug.
- Ex. Chemical name of the anti inflammatory
agent ibuprofen is 2 -4 ( iso butyl phenyl)
propionic acid.
2. Generic name
or non
proprietary
name
- Is the name assigned by the manufactures who
first developed the drug and is assigned by the
United States Adopted Names Council.
- Each drug has only one generic name, which is
simpler then the chemical name.
7. 3. Official
name
- Is the name by which the drug is identified in the official
publications.
- Ex. BP ( British pharmacopeia ), USP ( United State
pharmacopeia )
- Official name is assigned by the food and drug administration
(FDA) after approval of a drug and is often same as the
generic name.
4. Trade name
or Brand
name or
proprietary
name
- Is the registered name assigned by the manufacturer and is
copyrighted.
- Brand name are nouns with the first letter capitalized and
marked with a circled R.
- One drug is manufactured by several companies and so may
be known by several different trade names.
- Ex. Paracetamol (chemical name ) have trade name such as
8. Classification of drugs according to their
Actions
Drugs may be classified in several ways : according to their
chemical composition, clinical actions, therapeutic effect on
body systems, their purpose and uses, by the symptoms
relieved by the drugs.
Nurse categorize the drug with similar characteristics by their
class. Each class contains drugs prescribed for similar types of
health problems. A drug may also belong to more than one
class.
9. Analgesics - To relieve pain
Anaesthetics - Which cause loss of sensation
Anthelmintics and
vermifuges
- Drug which destroy and expel worms
Antipyretics - Drug which reduce fever
Antiodotes - Substance used to counteract the effects of poison.
Anti asthmatics - Drug which provide symptomatic relief of asthmatic
attacks
Anti pruritics - A drug that relive itching
Antiseptic - A substance that inhibits the growth of bacteria.
Antifungal - Drugs which prevent the growth of fungi or destruction
of the fungi.
Antispasmodics - An agent that relieves the spasmodic pain or spasm of
muscles.
10. Antiemetics - Relieving or preventing nausea and vomiting
Anti infectives - Act either to inhibit, kill or retard the growth of micro-
organisms.
Anti-
inflammatory
- Reduce the inflammation
Anti
coagulants
- Inhibit or decrease the blood clotting process
Anti-
histamines
- The agent block the effect of histamines therefore used to
prevent or relieve allergies.
Antacids - Substance that react with hydrochloric acid to decrease
activity of gastric secretions.
Anti-
consultants
- To prevent or treat convulsions
Antibiotics - Ability to destroy or inhibit growth of micro-organisms.
Anti-
diarrhetics
- To treat diarrhoea
Antitussives - That inhibit the cough reflex
11. Anti-tubercular - Used to treat TB
Anti- rheumatic - Drug used to treat rheumatism
Astringent - A drug that causes the contraction of tissue and arrest
discharge
Bronchodilators - Medicine which relax muscles of the bronchioles by
reducing the smooth muscle spasm or mucosal edema .
Coagulants - Those drugs that help in the clotting of blood either by the
increased formation of liver precursors or clotting factors
Cortico-steroids - Hormonal drugs extracted from the adrenal cortex.
Gluco corticoides = which stimulate the conversion of
proteins to carbohydrates.
Mineralo corticoides = which regulate the sodium and
potassium metabolism.
Diaphoretics - Drug which increase the action of sweat glands and
induce perspiration.
12. Diuretics - Which increase the flow of urine
Demulcents - Substance that soften, sooth and protect mucus membrane
Detergents - A cleansing agents
Digestants - An agent that promotes digestion
Emetics - Drug that produce vomiting
Oxytocics or
Ecbolics
- Drugs that stimulate uterine contractions.
Expectorants - Increase the bronchial secretions and aid in the expulsion
of the mucus
Hypnotics - Drug that produce sleep
Haemostatics - An agent to check haemorrhage
Hypoglycaemics - Drug that lower blood sugar level
13. Emollient - Substances that smoothen, soften and protect the skin
Hypotensive - Lowering BP
Inotropes - Drugs that strengthen cardiac contraction
Mydriatics - Dilate the pupil of the eye
Myotics - Contract the pupil of the eye
Muscle
relaxants
-diminution of tension or functional activity of muscles
Nasal
decongestants
- Drug which produce shrinkage of the engorged nasal mucosa
and relieve nasal congestion
Narcotics - Drug that produce stupor or complete insensibility.
Sedatives - Substances which lessen body activity
Stimulants - Increase the functional activity of an organ or system
14. Sedative expectorants - Drug which lessen paroxysmal cough and make it
more effective by soothing the inflamed respiratory
mucosa.
Stimulant expectorant - Drug used to increase the bronchial secretion by
irritating the bronchial mucosa .
Vasodilators - Drug which dilate the blood vessels and
consequently lower the BP
Vasoconstrictors - Drugs or agents that causes constriction of blood
vessels with the effects of raising the blood pressure.
15. Classification of drugs according to
functional health patterns
Sr. no. Health patterns Class of Drugs
1. Activity and exercise - Antihypertensive
- Antiarrhythmics
- Antianginals
- Anticoagulants
- bronchodilators
2. Nutrition and
metabolism
- Antibiotics
- Antiemetics
- Antacids
- Insulin
- Corticosteroids
- thyroxine