Question

Module: 10 Assisting with medications assignment

Choose a drug of particular interest to you that you would like to research. The drug may be either an OTC or prescribed medication. It can be of any classification and administered by ani route. Ensure that you have sufficient resources ( 3 sources required) to complete your assignment.

In your assignment, present the following information in your own words:

1. Name and classification of the drug.

2. What are 3 common indications for this drug?

3. How often is it taken?

4. By which route(s) is it taken?

5. Are there any special instructions for administration?

6. Are there possible side effects?

7. Are there any contraindications?

8. Name the 3 sources you used for your assignment.

9. Why did you choose this drug to research?

10. What was the most interesting fact you learned about this medication?

Answer 1

1. The name of the drug is Morphine. It is classified as an opioid analgesic drug (Phenanthrene derivative)

2. Three common indications:

• Analgesic for relief of severe pain
• Used as pre-anesthetic medication
• Treatment of acute left ventricular failure

3. Depending on the condition being treated, the frequency of dosing varies. Usually it is injected once every 4 hours as needed.

4. It is usually administered intravenously or intramuscularly. Tincture opium is administered orally.

5. Special instructions: It should not be used often or more times than prescribed, as it has a habit forming tendency (dependence) and also, may lead to acute poisoning.

6. Probable side-effects: Nausea, vomiting, constipation, dysphoria and mental clouding, tremor and delirium. Acute poisoning is characterized by respiratory depression, pin point pupil, cyanosis, hypotension, shock and coma.

7. Contraindications: Infants and elderly people, head injury, bronchial asthma, acute abdominal pain

8. Sources of study:

• Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics

• Katzung & Trevor's Pharmacology: Examination & Board Review

• Tripathi KD, Essential of Medical Pharmacology

9. It is one of the most remarkable drugs with uses in acute severe pain conditions and chronically in cancer patients for cancer-related pain. However, it has a tendency to develop dependence and hence there is a need to study it's pharmacological action and understand the drug better so as to improvise and make it more effective.

10. In 1939, Sigmund Freud, the Father of Psychoanalysis,was suffering from cancer and was in severe pain, persuaded his doctor friend to help him commit suicide. His friend administered large doses of morphine that resulted in Freud's death.