McKenna's Pharmacology for Nursing, 2e

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P A R T 3  Drugs acting on the immune system

CHAPTER SUMMARY ■■ Immune stimulants boost the immune system when it is exhausted from fighting off prolonged invasion or needs help to fight a specific pathogen or cancer cell. They include interferons and interleukins. ■■ Interferons are naturally released from cells in response to viral invasion; they are used to treat various cancers and warts. ■■ Interleukins stimulate cellular immunity and inhibit tumour growth; they are used to treat very specific cancers. ■■ Adverse effects seen with immune stimulants are related to the immune response (flu-like symptoms, including fever, myalgia, lethargy, arthralgia and fatigue). ■■ Immune suppressants are used to depress the immune system when needed to prevent transplant rejection or severe tissue damage associated with autoimmune disease. Research is ongoing to extend the use of various immune suppressants to other situations, including various autoimmune disorders. ■■ Increased susceptibility to infection and increased risk of neoplasm are potentially dangerous effects associated with the use of immune suppressants. People need to be protected from infection, injury and invasive procedures. Knowing your strengths and weaknesses helps you to study more effectively. Take a PrepU Practice Quiz to find out how you measure up! ONLINE RESOURCES An extensive range of additional resources to enhance teaching and learning and to facilitate understanding of this chapter may be found online at the text’s accompanying website, located on thePoint at http://thepoint.lww.com. These include Watch and Learn videos, Concepts in Action animations, journal articles, review questions, case studies, discussion topics and quizzes.

www.leukaemia.org.au/web/index.php Home page of Leukaemia Foundation. Information, support and research on leukaemia. www.msaustralia.org.au Home page of MS Australia. Information, support and research about multiple sclerosis. www.oncolink.org Information on cancers (including leukaemias and Kaposi’s sarcoma) and treatments. Barrett, K. E. & Ganong, W. F. (2010). Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology (23rd edn). New York: McGraw-Hill. Beatty, K., Winkelman, C., Bokar, J. A., Mazanec, P. & Lystrup, A. (2011). Advances in oncology care: Targeted therapies. AACN Advanced Critical Care , 22(4) , 323–336. Eisenberg, S. (2012). Biologic therapy. Journal of Infusion Nursing , 35(5) , 301–313. Farrell, M. & Dempsey, J. (2014). Smeltzer & Bare’s Textbook of Medical-Surgical Nursing (3rd edn). Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Gensicke, H., Leppert, D., Yaldizli, O., Lindberg, R. L., Mehling, M., Kappos, L. & Kuhle, J. (2012). Monoclonal antibodies and recombinant immunoglobulins for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. CNS Drugs , 26(1) , 11–37. Goodman, L. S., Brunton, L. L., Chabner, B. & Knollmann, B. C. (2011). Goodman and Gilman’s Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (12th edn). New York: McGraw-Hill. Liauw, W. S. (2013). Molecular mechanisms and clinical use of targeted anticancer drugs. Australian Prescriber , 36(4) , 126–131. McKenna, L. (2012). Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy (1st Australian and New Zealand edn). Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. McKenna, L. & Mirkov, S. (2014). McKenna’s Drug Handbook for Nursing and Midwifery (7th edn). Sydney: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Porth, C. M. (2011). Essentials of Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States (3rd edn). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Porth, C. M. (2009). Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States (8th edn). Philadelphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. Swaminathan, S. & Riminton, S. (2006). Monoclonal antibody therapy for non-malignant disease. Australian Prescriber , 29 , 130–133. Vickers, E., Uzzell, M. & Burnet, K. (2012). Understanding how targeted therapies work. Cancer Nursing Practice , 11(7) , 14–22. BIBLIOGRAPHY

WEB LINKS

Healthcare providers and students may want to consult the following Internet sources: www.arthritisaustralia.com.au Home page of Arthritis Australia. Information, support and research about rheumatoid arthritis.