help in pharmacology, does it get easier?

[setingle]

So I am currently struggling with Pharmacology. I am having a hard time memorizing the drugs and classifications! I got an 80 on the first test, then a 68 on the second!!!! I studied so hard and was so confident about the test that I couldnt believe my result! Does anyone know any good acronmys that they used for certail drugs or study hins?

p.s. im working on adrenergic, beta and alpha, cholinergic, and both blockers...AHG!!!! PLEASE HELP!

Shannon

[hypocaffeinemia, BSN, RN]

You need to focus on one thing at a time.

Go back to basics: refresh yourself on the A&P. What are alpha receptors? Where are they found? What happens when they are activated? What would you predict to happen were you to antagonize it?

The above needs to be applied to each subclass individually, e.g. alpha-1 and alpha-2 and so on.

Once you understand the physiology of each receptor class and their roles in homeostasis you can easily predict what a certain class of drugs will do and what some of the side effects will likely be.

For instance, why must caution be used with non-selective beta blockers in asthmatic patients? You can either rote-memorize the answer or you can choose to understand why it is important.