Pharmacology Review

The most commonly used

drugs in nursing.
by Donna Hess RN, MS

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INSTRUCTIONS:
l This Powerpoint is a brief review of the most
common drugs utilized in the health care setting.
l The recommendation is that when you print the
presentation or slides that each slide is printed on
one sheet of 8” X 11” paper.
l There are (7) slide about drug administration before
the drug slides. Please review the slide because
they are important to SAFE drug administration.
l The content gives you the page numbers for each
drug. The drugs are in alphabetical, order based on
the drugs in the content.

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CONTENTS: Drugs Page
l Alzheimer 17
l Ammonia Detoxicant 18
l Analgesic 19-22
l Antianemic-BRM 23
l Antianginal 24
l Antianxiety 25
l Antiarrhythmic 26-28

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CONTENTS: Drugs Page
l Anticoagulant 29
l Anticonvulsant 30-31
l Anticonvulsant/Mood Stabilizer 32
l Antidepressant 33-34
l Antiemetic 35-36
l Antihypertensive 37-39
l Anti-Infective 40-45

4
CONTENTS: Drugs Page
l Antilipemic 47-48
l Antimanic/Mood Stabilizer 49
l Antimicrobial Topical 50
l Antineoplastic Chemotherapy 51-54
l Antiparkinson 55-56
l Antipsychotic & Side Effects 57-60
l Antipsychotic/Non-Phenothiazine 61

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CONTENT: Drugs Page
l Antipsychotic/Phenothiazine 62
l Antituberculosis 63
l Anti-Ulcer 64
l BiologicResponse Modifier 65-66
l Bone Reabsorption Inhibitors 67
l Bronchodilator/Corticosteroid 68-69
l Corticosteroid 70

6
CONTENT: Drugs Page
l Digitalis & Antidote 71
l Diuretic 72-74
l Glaucoma 75-76
l Herbals 77-80
l HIV 81-82
l Hypoglycemia & Hyperglycemia 83
l Hypoglycemic/Insulin 84-85

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CONTENTS: Drugs Page
l Hypoglycemic/Oral 86-87
l Iron Administration 88
l Myasthenia Gravis 89
l Nonsteroidal Anti-Inflammatory 90
l Renal Disorders 91
l Sedations 92
l Stimulants (Pediatric) 93

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CONTENTS: Drugs Page

l Thrombolytic 94-95
l Thyroid 96
l Uterine Stimulants (Maternal) 97
l Withdrawal & Drug Overdose 98-99

9
3 Checks of Drug
Administration:
l Check the drug with the MAR or the
medication information system when removing
the mediation from the container.
l Check the drug when preparing it; pouring it,
taking it out of the container, or connecting the
IV tubing to the bag.
l Checking the drug before administrating it to
the client and comparing the MAR with the
client ID Band.

10
Drug Administration
Abbreviations:
l Only us the abbreviations deemed
appropriate by the Institute for Safe
Medication Practice or health care
facility.
l Avoid medication errors:
-qd = daily or every day
-qhs = nightly
-qod = every other day

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Pharmocokinetics:
l Review each drug for:
1. Ability of drug to cross plasma membranes.
2. Absorption of drug
3. Distribution of drug
4. Metabolism of drug
5. Excretion of drug
6. Drug plasma concentration and Therapeutic

response
7. Plasma ½ life and drug duration
8. Loading dose and Maintenance dose

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Drug Receptor Interactions:
l Agonist – drug that produces the same type of
response as the bodies internal response
l Partial Agonist – a drug that produces a
weaker or less effective response than the
internal agonist response
l Antagonist – drug that occupies a receptor
site and prevents the internal response from
occurring
*Sometimes drugs compete for the receptor
binding site and some inhibit the effects of the
agonist.*

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Topical Drug Administration:
l Dermatological preparations-creams,
lotions, gels, powder, spray
l Instillations & Irrigations-eye, ear, nose,
urinary bladder, rectum, vagina
l Inhalations-inhaler, nebulizers, positive
pressure equipment

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Other Routes of Administration:
l Sublingual
l Buccal
l GI Tube (NGT, gastric)
l Transdermal
l Nasal
l Intravenous (IV)
l Subcutaneous (SQ) (needle 45-90 degrees)
l Intramuscular (IM) (needle 90 degrees)
l Intradermal (ID) (needle 10-15 degrees)

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Do Not Crush Drugs:
l Capsules
l EntericCoated
l Sustained-Release (SR)
l Extended-Release (XL)
l Long Acting (LA)

*Always review the medication in an

updated Drug Book.

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Alzheimer

17
Ammonia Detoxicant/
Stimulant Laxative

18
Analgesic (1)

19
Analgesic (2)

20
Analgesic (3)

21
Analgesic (4)

22
Antianemic-Biologic Response
Modifier (BMR)

23
Antianginal

24
Antianxiety

25
Antiarrhythmic (1)

26
Antiarrhythmic (2)

27
Antiarrhythmic (3)

28
Anticoagulant

29
Anticonvulsant (1)

30
Anticonvulsants (2)

31
Anticonvulsant/Mood Stabilizer

32
Antidepressant (1)

33
Antidepressant (2)

34
Antiemetic (1)

35
Antiemetic (2)

36
Antihypertensive (1)

37
Antihypertensive (2)

38
Antihypertensive (3)

39
Anti-Infective (1)

40
Anti-Infective (2)

41
Anti-Infective (3)

42
Anti-Infective (4)

43
Anti-Infective (5)

44
Anti-Infective (6)

45
Anti-Infective (7)

46
Antilipemic (1)

47
Antilipemic (2)

48
Antimanic/Mood Stabilizer
Anticonvulsant/ Mood Stabilizer

49
Antimicrobial Topical

50
Antineoplastic Chemo. (1)

51
Antineoplastic Chemo. (2)

52
Antineoplastic Chemo. (3)

53
Antineoplastic Chemo. (4)

54
Antiparkinson (1)

55
Antiparkinson (2)

56
Antipsychotic

57
Antipsychotic Side Effects (1)

58
Antipsychotic Side Effects (2)

59
Antipsychotic Side Effects (3)

60
Antipsychotic
Non-Phenothiazines

61
Antipsychotic/Phenothiazines

62
Antituberculosis

63
Anti-Ulcer

64
Biologic Response Modifier (1)

65
Biologic Response Modifier (2)

66
Bone Reabsorption Inhibitors

67
Bronchodilator/Corticosteriod
(1)

68
Bronchodilator/Corticosteroid
(2)

69
Corticosteroid

70
Digitalis & Antidote

71
Diuretic (1)

72
Diuretic (2)

73
Diuretic – Osmotic (3)

74
Glaucoma (1)

75
Glaucoma (2)

76
Herbal (1)

77
Herbal (2)

78
Herbal (3)

79
Herbal (4)

80
HIV (1)

81
HIV (2)

82
Hypoglycemia & Hyperglycemia
Signs and Symptoms

83
Hypoglycemic Insulin (1)

84
Hypoglycemic Insulin (2)

85
Hypoglycemic Oral (1)

86
Hypoglycemic Oral (2)

87
Iron Administration

88
Myasthenia Gravis

89
NSAIDS

90
Renal Disorders

91
Sedation

92
Stimulants: Pediatric

93
Thrombolytic (1)

94
Thrombolytic (2)

95
Thyroid

96
Uterine Stimulant (Maternal)

97
Withdrawal
Drug Overdose (1)

98
Withdrawal
Drug Overdose (2)

99
References:
l HESI NCLEX-RN Review Manual 2006-
on reserve in HCC Library
l Pharmacology for Nurses A
Pathophysiologic Approach 2005
l Pharmacology for Nurses 2008

l **Information in this document will be updated monthly and placed in

Docushare & Blackboard.

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