Fundamentals of Pharmacology for Veterinary Technicians

1. Fundamentals of Pharmacology for Veterinary Technicians Chapter 1 A Brief History of Veterinary Pharmacology © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation.

2. A History of Veterinary Pharmacology • Origins of veterinary pharmacology date back to the early 1700s in Europe • Study of the physical and chemical characteristics of materials used as medicine is known as materia medica • Scientists extracted and synthesized drugs from plant components, bacteria, and animal sources • Today most drugs are made synthetically in laboratories © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

3. Understanding Pharmacological Terms • Pharmaco- means drug • Pharmacology is the study of drugs • Therapy means treatment of disease • Pharmacotherapy is the treatment of disease with medicines • Kinetics is the scientific study of motion • Pharmacokinetics is the study of drug motion, which includes absorption, blood levels, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of drugs © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

4. Drug Regulation • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) became a government agency to enforce the federal Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 • Until the late 1930s, the FDA had little power to determine and enforce correct drug dosage information • In 1938, Congress passed the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA), which required that a drug be adequately tested to demonstrate its safety when used as its label directs • In 1972, the FDCA was amended to include many more protections © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

5. Drug Regulation • The FDA is headed by a commissioner and organized into a number of different centers • The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) ensures that approved veterinary medicines will not harm animals • The 1972 amendments to the FDCA made drug manufacturers specify drug withdrawal periods and detection methods for determining drug residues in animal foodstuffs © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

6. Prescription Drugs • Prescription drugs are regulated by the FDA and are limited to use under the supervision of a veterinarian or physician, because of their potential danger, toxicity concerns, administration difficulty, or other considerations • Prescription drugs are prescribed to animals once a veterinarian/client/patient relationship has been established • Veterinarian/client/patient relationships arise when an animal is seen and examined by a veterinarian who assumes responsibility for making clinical assessments based on sufficient knowledge about the animal’s health © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

7. Extra-label Drugs • Extra-label drugs are drugs used in a manner that is not specifically described on the FDA-approved label • May include use of a drug for an animal when the drug is only approved for use in humans • May include use of a drug for a treatment that is not listed on the FDA-approved drug label • Extra-label drug use is allowed under the Animal Medicinal Drug Use Clarification Act of 1994 (AMDUCA) • The key constraints of AMDUCA are that any extra-label use must be by or on the order of a veterinarian within the context of a veterinarian/client/patient relationship and that the use cannot result in drug residues in food-producing animals © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

8. Over-the-Counter Drugs • Over-the-counter drugs (OTC drugs) are drugs that do not have a significant potential for toxicity or do not require special administration • Aspirin is an example of an OTC drug © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

9. Controlled Substances • Controlled substances are drugs considered dangerous because of their potential for human abuse or misuse • Controlled substances are regulated by the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) through the Comprehensive Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970 • Controlled substances are labeled at multiple schedule levels (see Table 1-2) © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation

10. Controlled Substance Monitoring • Veterinarians who use or prescribe controlled substances must register annually with the DEA, keep the DEA informed of all address changes, and receive a registration number to be used on all prescriptions and supply orders • Controlled substances must be stored in a locked cabinet or safe • Authorized handlers of controlled substances must keep records of orders, receipts, uses, discards, and thefts of controlled substances for two years following each transaction • Controlled substance use is usually recorded in a controlled substance log © 2004 by Thomson Delmar Learning, a part of the Thomson Corporation