Key Terminology 2
Practicum of Health Science – Pharmacy Tech Program
An unexpected and undesirable effect caused by a drug; different from a known side effect.
Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) One single, relatively large quantity of
a substance, administered rapidly. Bolus
Severe or fatal reaction by a patient to an agent for which the patient has become extremely sensitized.
Anaphylactic Shock Agent that stops or inhibits the growth
of bacteria (such as erythromycin) Bacteriostatic agent
Procedures designed to prevent contamination of drugs, packaging, equipment, or supplies by microorganisms during processing.
Aseptic preparation A substance that kills bacteria or
inhibits its growth. Antibacterial agent
Used to treat cancer by substituting in or blocking the use of essential nutrients and enzymes
antimetabolites A drug that is able to kill or inhibit the
growth of bacteria or other microorganisms.
antibiotics
Air pressure is greater inside of an enclosed area as compared to outside of enclosed area. This forces particulate matter to the outside of the enclosed area.
positive air pressure
An IV access into one of the major blood vessels
central line Extraneous undissolved mobile
substances, such as precipitate present in the parenteral products
particulate matter
Occurs when two or more chemical substances react and cause a significant change of one or more of the substances.
chemical incompatibility A sterile, injectable medication (i.e.
SC, ID, IM, IV) parenteral
Condition or circumstance that mandates that a drug should not be given
contraindication An infection acquired while the patient
is in the hospital or healthcare facility nosocomial infection
When a drug accumulates in the body faster than the body can metabolize or eliminate it
cumulative effect A drug administered for therapeutic
purposes into the body via the vascular system
infusion
Fluids used to dissolve drugs in solid form
diluents Two or more drugs mixed together
that cause either a physical, chemical or therapeutic change in the drug, and produce undesirable effects
incompatible
Long or short term IV feeding of high protein, high carbohydrate solutions to provide a patient’s total nutritional requirements
Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) The substance that is dissolved in a
solution solute
Measure and documented evidence, providing a high degree of assurance that a specific process will consistently produce a product meeting its predetermined specifications and quality attributes
process validation
The complete destruction of microorganisms by heat or other method; free of microorganisms.
sterilization The outcome that is expected for a
particular disease, and whether there is a chance for recovery
prognosis
The substance used to dissolve another substance (the solute)
solvent The set of activities used to assure
that the process used in the preparation of sterile drug products leads to products that meet predetermined standards of quality
quality assurance
Some drugs are in a powder form because they are too unstable to be mixed until ready for use. Mixing the powder with a liquid is called
reconstitution Under the skin; an injection
administered under the skin subcutaneous
The set of testing activities used to determine that the ingredients, components, and final sterile pharmaceuticals prepared meet predetermined requirements with respect to identity, purity, non-pyrogenicity, and sterility
Quality Control
Introduction of undesired microorganism or particles
contamination Produced during a single
manufacturing order batch Undesired effect of a drug side effect
Results from a poison or a dangerous amount of a drug
toxicity Invasion by an agent into the body infection An agent produced by the body in
response to an antigen antibody
An agent that destroys or inhibits microorganisms on inanimate objects
disinfectant
Common Medical Prefixes
a-; an- without; not ante- before; forward anti- against
bi- two; both brady- slow contra- against; opposite dys- difficult; painful; bad
en-; endo- inside; within epi- above ex- out; outward hyper- excessive; above
hypo- insufficient; below infra- under; below inter- between intra- within
iso- equal; same micro- small multi- many; multiple neo- new
para- beside; near per- through peri- around poly- many; excessive
post- after, behind pre- before semi- half; one-half sub- below; under
Let’s review some Common Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms, and Common Pharmacy Abbreviations