Pharmacology + Medication Types

Pharmacology + Medication Types

Poll

If you had a headache, would you rather take a tablet, drink a syrup, get an injection, or stick on a patch?

• Tablet

• Syrup

• Injection

• Patch

What is pharmacology?

Pharmacology: The study of how drugs work in the body - how they are taken, where they go, what they do, and how the body gets rid of them.

• Drug: any substance that changes how the body works

• Dose: the amount of drug given

• Side effect: unintended effect of the drug

• Therapeutic effect: the reason the drug is taken - the helpful result

Why might delivery methods matter?

Why Delivery Method Matters

How a drug is taken affects:

• How fast it works

• How much reaches the target

• How long it lasts

1. Cut out the table and glue it into your books.

2. Work in groups to complete the table, coming up with as many examples and reasons as you can.​

Common Delivery Methods

Onset of action (or time to effect) is how long it takes for a medicine to start working after it is given.

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Onset of Action

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Onset of action (or time to effect) is how long it takes for a medicine to start working after it is given.

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Onset of Action

Multiple Choice

Which of the following methods would be best for someone having a severe allergic reaction?

• Oral

• Topical

• Injection

• Transdermal

Multiple Choice

Why might a doctor choose a patch instead of a tablet?

• It's faster than an injection

• It avoids needles and gives slow, steady release

• It's easier to breathe in

• It has fewer side effects

Multiple Choice

What is one advantage of sublingual delivery?

• It tastes better

• It acts slowly

• It treats the skin directly

• It skips the digestive system

Open Ended

You’re treating a patient who needs pain relief for a broken arm, but they’re vomiting. What method would you use and why?