Facilitation may include
- purpose
- to prevent illness (e.g., vaccines)
- to eliminate illness (e.g., antibiotics)
- to control disease (e.g., insulin)
- to relieve symptoms (e.g., cough suppressant)
- to alter behavior (e.g., tranquilizers)
- effects
- desired—drug acts in the manner for which it was prescribed
- undesired
- side effects
- drug interactions
- potentiate—one drug increases the effect of another
- antagonist—one drug decreases the effect of another
- two drugs combine to produce a new unwanted effect (e.g., rash, diarrhea, light-headedness)
- no effect
- potential for drug dependency
- potential for drug allergies.
Process/Skill Questions:
- What patient education is required?
- What is the therapeutic purpose of drugs?
- What is the difference between drug incompatibility and drug interactions, considering food-drug, drug-drug, and herbal-drug?
- What are the common drug interactions, including drug-drug and drug-food?
- What is the difference between a drug side effect and a drug adverse reaction?