Pharmacology


key words
un médicament : a medicine/drug/medication
une gélule : a capsule
un comprimé : a tablet
une pastille : a troche/ lozenge
du sirop : syrup
gouttes : drops
suppositoire : suppository
pommade : ointment
spray : spray
nébuliseur : nebulizer
une bouffée : a puff
avaler : swallow
antalgiques : pain-killers/analgesics
anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens (AINS) : non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAI)
corticoïdes : corticoids
contraceptifs : contraceptives
un stérilet : an intra-uterine device (IUD)/a coil
antiémétiques : antiemetics
antiépileptiques : anticonvulsants
anti-tuberculeux : antituberculous agents
antidépresseurs : antidepressants
antipsychotiques : antipsychotics
anxiolytiques : tranquillisers/anxiolytics
insuline : insulin
antimitotiques : antimitotics
interactions : interactions
contre-indications : contraindications
essai clinique : clinical trial
une ordonnance : a prescription
médicaments en vente libre : over-the-counter medication (OTC)
médicaments sur ordonnance : prescription-only medication (PoM)
un générique : a generic
une femme enceinte :  a pregnant woman
effet indésirable : adverse effect
effet secondaire : side-effect/ secondary effect
pharmacie : chemist’s/pharmacy
observance : compliance
respecter : comply with
la notice : the leaflet
la posologie : the dosage
efficace : efficient
guérir : cure

 

 
Look at the following UK prescription. What do you notice?

 
MR/MRS/MISS
Child (Age if under 12 years old)
Address

 

 
Pharmacist’s stamp
NP Nb of days of treatment For use only by Pricing Bureau

 

 
Tab. Dihydrocodeine/ Dihydrocodeine Tab 30mg
mitte/send 100 (one hundred tabs)
Sig./Label 2 tablets, 6hrly for pain, p.c.

 
Signature of Doctor Date
For use by Pharmacist

 

 
Latin abbreviations
p.c. after meals après les repas
q.d.s. four time a day quatre fois par jour
s.c. subcutaneous sous-cutanée
s.l. sublingual sub-lingual
p.o. by mouth par voie orale
c.c. With meals pendant les repas
p.r.n. As required a la demande
i.v. intravenous intraveineux
infusn infusion infusion

 
Test your knowledge

 
1. Give the class of drug that corresponds to the symptom.
Depression
Nausea
Convulsions
Pain
Anxiety
Allergy
Diabetes
Tachycardia
Heartburn

 
Add others

 
2. Here are the 10 most prescribed drugs this year. Write down their use.

  1. Lipitor  
  2. Advair
  3. Protoni
  4. Prevacid
  5. Plavix
  6. Enbrel
  7. Nexium
  8. Singulair
  9. Fosamax
  10. Effexor

 
Discussion
1) What are the most prescribed drug-categories?

 
2) What do the results show about Western people’s health?

 
3) Have you noticed any change in drug prescription recently?

 

 
3. Fill in the gaps.
Merck removed one of the world's best-selling ____________(1) from the market in 2004 after a study showed Vioxx caused an increased risk of serious cardiovascular events, such as stroke and heart attack. Now, Merck faces thousands of lawsuits, and studies continue to deliver bad news about the drug.
________________ (2) expert Curt Furberg of Wake Forest University reviewed the new report. He says it shows short-term users of Vioxx were at greater risk of heart problems than previously described.
This point is worth billions of dollars to Merck. Thousands of patients, who suffered heart problems, are suing the_______________ (3) company. Many took Vioxx for less than 18 months.
As a protective measure, doctors are advising their elderly patients who had previously taken Vioxx, to regularly take a low-dose of aspirin, which is known to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events and which can be bought in any ____________________ (4).
The ____________________ (5) (FDA) has issued supplemental request letters to sponsors of all _____________________(6) NSAID) requesting that they make labeling changes to their products. These letters include recommended proposed labeling for both the prescription and ______________________ (7) (OTC) NSAIDs and a medication guide for the entire class of prescription products.
 
If chronic use of an NSAID is selected for an individual patient, the lowest effective ______________(8) for the shortest ________________(9) consistent with individual patient _______________(10) goals should be used.