Equipment for measuring drugs

Equipment for measuring drugs

For measuring drugs,different nursing equipment are used for convenience and accuracy of drug.the common equipments are as follow.

• Medicine glass or ounce measure:this a glass like small or big jar graduated in ml.oral medicine or for preparing mixtures this is very useful.
• Dropers:A droper consists of cylindrical tube like glass piece attached with a rubber cap the glass is graduated in fraction of ml.The droper is used to instil drug in eye,ear and nose and also for oral use of infants.one ml is approximately 15-20 drops.

Droper

• Spoons: Usually spoon is a common measure to administer drug by mouth.the ready made mixture are also having labelled dose in spoon or more commonly tea spoon.One table spoon is approximately 4 tea spoon or 16 to 20ml.

Measuring spoon

• Stronger:stronger may be of glass or plastic.plastic syringes are usually disposable (once used and thrown).The syringes are graduated in ml or fraction of ml.2cc,5cc,10cc,25cc and 50cc syringes are available for injections purpose.

 Measuring a dose of mixture

• Classification of drug

• Analgesic:Drugs that soothe or relieve pain.it may be in tablets,syrup,injection or ointment form.

• Anti-pyretics:these are drugs that reduces body temperature when administered orally or parenterally paracetamol,carocin,metacin.
• Anaesthetic:Drugs that cause loss of sensation may be local or general.These are available in injection, inhalation, ointment or in spray form.

• Anthelmintics:These are oral medicines which kill or paralyse the intestinal worms and then are expelled by normal Peristalsis.Elixir piperazine citrate ect.
• Anti-dotes:These are drugs or substance s which neutralize the effects in poisons in body ,i.e alkali for acid,egg albumin etc.
• Carminatives:These are drugs either in tablet or mixture form which expels gas from stomach and intestine and helps in digestion I.e,Tr-ginger , carminatives mixtures.
• Cathartics:These are drugs available in tablet or liquid form.They are further subdivided in to different groups depending on potentiality of action.

1. Laxatives:these have mild action for evacuation of intestine i.e liquid paraffin,milk  of magnesia.
2. Purgatives:they have more powerful action to evacuate bowel i.e castor oil.

3.Drastics:They are violent in action and may cause erosion to intestinal wall i.e croten oil.

• Hydragogues:They produces loose watery motions i.e Magnesium sulphate.

• Cholagocues:these are drugs used to increase bile secretion.
• Diaphoretics:these are drugs which increase perspiration.(sweet secretion).
• Diuretics:drugs that increases formation of urine.

• Emetics:these are drugs which cause vomiting.(morphine)
• Anti-emetics:drugs that stop vomiting and nausea.
• Ecobolics:drugs that increase contraction of uterine muscles(ergotamine,methergin,syntocin).
• Expectorants:these are drugs which increases bronchial secretion and helps in expulsion of mucus_cough expectorants.
• Hypnotics:drugs that induce sleep.
• Mydriatics:drugs that dilates pupil in eye atropine.
• Myotics:drugs that constricts pupil eserine.
• Sedatives:the drugs that depress mood and produces sleeping effect.
• Stomacics:drugs that increase gastric se creation and thereby increases appetite.
• Anti-spasmodics:drugs that relieves spasms of smooth muscles and sphinctors.
• Tranquilizers:drugs that calms body and mental tension.
• Hypotensive:drugs that reduces blood pressure.
• Hypertension:drugs that increases blood pressure.
• Anti convulsants:drugs that relieve convulsions.
• Coagulants:drugs which causes coagulation of blood.
• Anti coagulants:drugs that dissolves clot.
• Haematinics:drugs that provides iron for formation of blood.
• Antacids:drugs that neutralize acid of stomach.
• Antibiotics:drugs that kill or inhibits growth of bacteria in body (penicillin, tetracycline).
• Histaminics:drugs that increase histamine secretion.
• Anti histaminics:drugs that reduces histamine secretion or allergic reactions.(avil,Benadryl).
• Broncho dilators:drugs that dilate bronchi _ aminophylline, ephedrine.
• Styptics:drugs that stops oozing of blood.