ventricul(o)‐
Abbreviations used in prescriptions
| Abbreviation | Latin | English |
|---|---|---|
| a.c. | ante cibum | Before food |
| ad lib. | ad libitum | To the desired amount |
| b.d. or b.i.d. | bis in die | Twice a day |
| c. | cum | With |
| o.m. | omni mane | Every morning |
| o.n. | omni nocte | Every night |
| p.c. | post cibum | After food |
| p.r.n. | pro re nata | Whenever necessary |
| q.d. | quaque die | Every day |
| q.d.s. | quaque die sumendum | Four times daily |
| q.i.d. | quater in die | Four times daily |
| q.q.h. | quater quaque hora | Every four hours |
| R. | recipe | Take |
| s.o.s. | si opus sit | If necessary |
| stat. | statim | At once |
| t.d.s. | ter die sumendum | Three times daily |
| t.i.d. | ter in die | Three times daily |
Chapter 1 Introduction to pharmacology
Suzanne Evans and Tanya Somani
Aim
The aim of this chapter is to provide an introductory overview of the aspects of pharmacology that are important for paramedic practice.
Learning outcomes
After reading this chapter, the reader will:
1 Be aware of the potential for error in every stage of drug administration, and strategies to avoid medication error.
2 Be able to distinguish the generic and trade names of drugs, and know the conventions for generic names of drugs in the same class.
3 Know the range of sites at which the majority of drugs act to produce their effects.
4 Understand the importance of correct choice, dosing and administration of a drug.
Test your knowledge
1 Which medicines are considered to be completely safe?
2 How can the risk of accidental harm from medicines be reduced?
3 When taking a medication history, what should you prompt a patient to include?
4 What is the generic name and what is the trade name of a medication and where is each name located on the packaging?
Pharmacology is the study of medications. It includes the study of how and when to use them safely and effectively, as well as the search for and the development of new and more effective medications. Although in paramedicine, the term ‘medication’ is often used in reference to therapeutic agents and the term ‘drug’ in reference to illicit agents, in this chapter we will use the term ‘drug’ with the broader meaning of ‘any substance that produces a change in physiological function’ when discussing the pharmacology of the active substances rather than formulated preparations.
Health practitioners have at their disposal a formidable armoury of powerful pharmacological agents which have the ability to save lives and relieve suffering. These same agents, used incorrectly, are equally capable of causing death, suffering and irreparable damage. The use of these powerful tools comes with a responsibility to know how to use them safely, and to have a deep understanding of what they can do. Paramedics, often called on to select and correctly use medications in uncontrolled environments with the additional pressures of time and stress, have an even greater need to be experts in the medicines they will administer, performing, as
