McKenna's Pharmacology, 2e

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C H A P T E R 1  Introduction to drugs

SOURCES OF DRUG INFORMATION The fields of pharmacology and drug therapy change so quickly that it is important to have access to sources of information about drug doses, therapeutic and adverse effects and nursing-related implications. Textbooks provide valuable background and basic information to help in the understanding of pharmacology, but in clinical practice it is important to have access to up-to-the-minute information. Several sources of drug information are readily available. Nurses and midwives often need to consult more than one source. Drug labels Drug labels have specific information that identifies a specific drug. For example, a drug label identifies the brand and generic names for the drug, the drug dosage, the expiration date and special drug warnings. Some labels also indicate the route and dose for admini­ stration. Figure 1.3 illustrates an example of a drug label.

Understanding how to read a drug label is essential. Nurses and midwives need to become familiar with each aspect of the label. Package inserts All drugs come with a package insert prepared by the manufacturer according to strict TGA regulations. The package insert contains all of the chemical and study information that led to the drug’s approval. Package inserts sometimes are difficult to understand and are almost always in very small print, making them difficult to read. The TGA (www.tga.gov.au), MEDSAFE (www. medsafe.govt.nz) and New Zealand Formulary websites are good resources for finding the prescribing informa- tion or package insert for most drugs. Reference books A wide variety of reference books are available for drug information. The MIMS is a compilation of package insert information from drugs used in Australia. As the content can be quite technical, the book may be difficult to use.

Prescription status Indicates drug is prescription only

Drug dose Dose available in this product

Quantity Amount of the drug in this package

Lot number Specific drug batch from which this drug was produced; important for recall information

Brand name Name given to the drug by the manufacturer

Generic name Chemical name of the drug listed by the TGA

Expiration date Indicates date after which the drug should not be used

Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods (ARTG) number Number used to identify a specific drug Storage information

Drug manufacturer Pharmaceutical company

FIGURE 1.3  A sample drug label. (Used with permission from AstraZeneca Pty Ltd.)