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I'm messing around with learning pharmacology to see if I'm even capable.
I see something like:
I don't know what anticholinergic, parasympatholytic, or acetylcholine even mean.
Even looking up anticholinergic, I barely understand the term.
So how do people learn their meds? Is it rote memorization of a foreign language and it will eventually make sense?
Is there a fundamental step I'm missing?
I see something like:
Atropine Sulfate
Class: anticholinergic
Action: parasympatholytic, inhibits action of acetylcholine
Indications: hemodynamically unstable bradycardia, asystole, organophosphate poisoning, bronchospastic pulmonary disorders
Contras: tachycardia, hypersensitivity, unstable cardiovascular status in acute hemorrhage and myocardial ischemia, narrow angle glaucoma
Adverse Rxns: headache, dizziness, palpitations, n/v, tachycardia, arrhythmias, blurred vision, dry mouth, paradoxical brady if pushed slowly or at a low dose
Dosage:
Asystole: 1mg IV/IO push; may rpt q3-5min to max of 3mg
Bradycardia: 0.5mg IV/IO push; may rpt q3-5 min to max of 3mg (0.5 if they're alive)
Organophosphate Poisoning: start at 3mg and go up from there until relief of symptoms
I don't know what anticholinergic, parasympatholytic, or acetylcholine even mean.
Even looking up anticholinergic, I barely understand the term.
So how do people learn their meds? Is it rote memorization of a foreign language and it will eventually make sense?
Is there a fundamental step I'm missing?