Pharmacology is broadly defined as the study of how chemical agents affect living processes. Pharmacology is the science of drug action on biological systems. Pharmacology includes the knowledge of the sources, chemical properties, biological effects, and therapeutic uses of drugs. It is integral not only to medicine but also to pharmacy, nursing, and dentistry. Pharmacological studies include the effects of chemical agents upon subcellular mechanisms, the treatment and prevention of disease by drug therapy. In addition, pharmacologists are also involved in the molecular modeling of drugs.

Inpatient coders must understand pharmacology because patients are administered medications throughout the hospital stay. The types of medications prescribed are an indication of the conditions the provider is treating. It is not uncommon for a patient to have adverse effects to medication. An adverse effect is a harmful or abnormal effect because of taking a medication. This would be the right patient who is receiving the right medication and correct dose. A poisoning is a harmful effect caused by improper use of the medication which would be the wrong dose, wrong medication, or wrong patient. Both events are coded for the admission. The selection of the codes will be discussed in another chapter.

The basic principles of pharmacology include the study of drugs, their respective actions, dosage and administration, therapeutic uses, and adverse effects.

Objectives:

• Define pharmacology and its basic principles
• Understand the process of drug nomenclature
• Understand the routes of administration
• Understand drugs prescribed for common body system disorders, their administration and possible side effects