types of pharmacological effects
Last reviewed 01/2018
There are a variety of types of pharmacological effect, involving the interaction of the drug and receptor to form a complex and thus have an effect, as follows:
- Drug + receptor <-> Drug/receptor complex -> effect:
- quickly reversible e.g. propranolol, insulin, naloxone
- Drug + Receptor <-> Drug/Receptor complex -> effect:
- not easily reversible, for example:
- digoxin - may need to give Fab of anti Digoxin antibody
- MAO inhibitors
- aspirin on platelets - only need very low doses
- Drug + Receptor <-> Drug/Receptor complex -> effect:
- DR reversible, but effect prolonged:
- corticosteroids
- immunisation
- Dose response relationships:
- 75% of adverse drug responses are dose related
- Steroisomers:
- warfarin - S and R, t half 32 and 54 respectively; S four times as potent as R form.
- sotalol - L form is a beta blocker, D form is a class 3 antiarrhythmic