Drugs Used for Psychopharmacologic Therapy
Antidepressants are logically classified based on their chemical structures and their acute neuropharmacologic effects (Table 43-2). The precise mechanism by which antidepressants work is unknown, but they appear to act…
Other Endocrine Drugs
Structure–Activity Relationships All corticosteroids are constructed on the same primary molecular framework, designated as the steroid nucleus (see Fig. 40-1). Changes in molecular structure may result in altered biologic responses…
Acid–Base Disorders
The central focus of treating acid–base disturbances is the understanding of the biochemistry of the hydrogen ion. Hydrogen ion concentrations in the various body fluid compartments are precisely regulated in…
Chemotherapeutic Drugs
Drug Resistance Resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs often occurs and has many causes.3 Some chemotherapy agents lead to induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes in the liver, other tissues, or tumor cells, accelerating…
Antiarrhythmic Drugs
The effects of cardiac antiarrhythmic drugs on the action potential and effective refractory period of the cardiac action potential determine the clinical effect of these drugs. Drugs that primarily block…
Neuromuscular Blocking Drugs and Reversal Agents
It is generally believed that twitch depression results from block of postsynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, whereas tetanic or TOF fade results from block of presynaptic nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.10,11 Blockade of…
Basic Principles of Physiology
Body fluids can be divided into intracellular and extracellular fluid, depending on their location relative to the cell membrane (see Fig. 1-1).1 Approximately two-thirds of the total body fluid in…
Maternal and Fetal Physiology and Pharmacology
Maternal Physiology Physiologic Changes during Pregnancy and Delivery During pregnancy and the peripartum period, substantial changes in maternal anatomy and physiology occur secondary to changes in hormone activity, increased maternal…
