Pharmacy Technology

24 terms

My name is Jasmine Lagueux and I'm in my program for the past 2 and a half years. This glossary is for understanding and remembering some pharmacologic term for the everyday work. It will help me to communicate more effectively with the patient who speaks and understand English.

Analgesic
Acting to relieve pain.
Blood pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure that bloods exerts on the walls of arteries (blood vessels). Blood pressure may fluctuate over the course of a day and from day to day.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol and its derivatives are important constituents of cell membranes and precursors of other steroid compounds, but a high proportion in the blood of low-density lipoprotein (which transports cholesterol to the tissues) is associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Contraception
The deliberate use of artificial methods or other techniques to prevent pregnancy as a consequence of sexual intercourse.
Cytotoxic
Toxic to living cells.
Diabetes
A disease in which the body’s ability to produce or respond to the hormone insulin is impaired, resulting in abnormal metabolism of carbohydrates and elevated levels of glucose in the blood and urine.
Dyspepsia
Indigestion (dyspepsia) is a general term that describes a group of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms that occur together, including pain, a burning feeling, or discomfort in your upper abdomen; feeling full too soon while eating; feeling uncomfortably full after eating; and bloating, nausea, or belching.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER)
A condition in which stomach acid backs up into the esophagus (the tube through which food passes from the pharynx, or throat, to the stomach), causing heartburn, acid indigestion and damage to the lining of the esophagus.
Generic name
The generic drug is pharmaceutically equivalent to the brand name drug: it contains the identical medicinal ingredients, in the same amounts and in a similar dosage form. Generic medications may have different non-medicinal ingredients than the brand name drug, but the company must show that these do not affect the safety, efficacy, or quality of the drug compared to the brand name drug.
Good life habit
A way of living that lowers the risk of being seriously ill or dying early. Healthy living also means making positive choices that enhance your personal physical, mental and spiritual health.
Heart failure
A heart that cannot keep up with its workload. As a result, the body may not get enough oxygen that it needs.
Inhaler
A portable device for administering a drug which is to be breathed in, used for relieving asthma and other bronchial or nasal congestion.
Insulin
A hormone produced in the pancreas by the islets of Langerhans, which regulates the amount of glucose in the blood. The lack of insulin causes a form of diabetes.
Opioid
A class of drugs that derive from, or mimic, natural substances found in the opium poppy plant. Opioids work in the brain to produce a variety of effects, including pain relief. Opioid drugs include prescription pain medicine and illegal drugs.
Over-the-counter drug (OTC drug)
OTC's medications don’t require a doctor's prescription, and they’re available in pharmacies in a special section that’s accessible to the public. Even though you can obtain them without consulting your pharmacist, OTC medication must be used safely and may even require constant monitoring by your healthcare professional.
Pathology
The science of the causes and effects of diseases, especially the branch of medicine that deals with the laboratory examination of samples of body tissue for diagnostic or forensic purposes.
Patient file
A set of documents relating to the same subject as the medicine of the patient and the therapy.
Pharmacology
The study of medicines and drugs, including their action, their use, and their effects on the body.
Pharmacy technicians
These individuals perform technical, administrative, and clinical tasks. They support Pharmacists by fulfilling management responsibilities.
Pharmacy technicians assistant
These individuals assist Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians in their tasks.
Prescription
An instruction written by a medical practitioner that authorizes a patient to be provided a medicine or treatment.
Side effect
A secondary, typically undesirable effect of a drug or medical treatment.
Therapeutic drug monitoring
The clinical practice of measuring specific drugs at designated intervals to maintain a constant concentration in a patient's bloodstream, thereby optimizing individual dosage regimens.
Trade name
A name by which something is known in a particular trade or profession.