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Both pharmacology and toxicology are scientific disciplines that focus on understanding the properties and actions of chemicals. [23] However, pharmacology emphasizes the therapeutic effects of chemicals, usually drugs or compounds that could become drugs, whereas toxicology is the study of chemical's adverse effects and risk assessment. [23]
In pharmacokinetics, a loading dose is an initial higher dose of a drug that may be given at the beginning of a course of treatment before dropping down to a lower maintenance dose. [ 1 ] A loading dose is most useful for drugs that are eliminated from the body relatively slowly, i.e. have a long systemic half-life .
A drug class is a group of medications and other compounds that share similar chemical structures, act through the same mechanism of action (i.e., binding to the same biological target), have similar modes of action, and/or are used to treat similar diseases.
A medication (also called medicament, medicine, pharmaceutical drug, medicinal product, medicinal drug or simply drug) is a drug used to diagnose, cure, treat, or prevent disease. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] Drug therapy ( pharmacotherapy ) is an important part of the medical field and relies on the science of pharmacology for continual advancement and on ...
In pharmacology and toxicology, a route of administration is the way by which a drug, fluid, poison, or other substance is taken into the body. [ 1 ] Routes of administration are generally classified by the location at which the substance is applied.
First-pass metabolism may occur in the liver (for propranolol, lidocaine, clomethiazole, and nitroglycerin) or in the gut (for benzylpenicillin and insulin). [4] The four primary systems that affect the first pass effect of a drug are the enzymes of the gastrointestinal lumen, [5] gastrointestinal wall enzymes, [6] [7] [8] bacterial enzymes [5] and hepatic enzymes.
In pharmacology, an effective dose (ED) or effective concentration (EC) is the dose or concentration of a drug that produces a biological response. [1] [2] The term "effective dose" is used when measurements are taken in vivo, while "effective concentration" is used when the measurements are taken in vitro. [3]
As the evidence and consensus for use of the drug increases and strengthens, its class of indication is improved. [6] Preferred drugs (and other treatments) are also referred to a "first line" or "primary" while others are called "second line", "third line" etc. [7] [8] A drug may be indicated as an "adjunct" or "adjuvant", added to a first ...