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Pharmacy & Pharmacology vocabulary · Side Effects and Interactions

Toxicity

Meaning in pharmacy & pharmacology, with examples

/tɑkˈsɪsəti/nounCommon term

In pharmacy & pharmacology, toxicity means: The harmful effects a drug or chemical has on the body, especially at high doses or blood levels, or the degree to which a substance is poisonous.

In Turkish: toksisite, zehirlilik, zehirlenme

How it is used

Often named after the organ affected: hepatotoxicity (liver), nephrotoxicity (kidney), ototoxicity (ear), cardiotoxicity (heart). Pharmacists talk about signs of toxicity, for example digoxin or lithium toxicity, and monitor blood levels to avoid it. The adjective is toxic.

Example sentences

  1. Nausea and changes in vision can be signs of digoxin toxicity.

  2. Aminoglycosides can cause kidney and ear toxicity, so blood levels are monitored.

Common collocations

  • signs of toxicity
  • drug toxicity
  • liver toxicity
  • risk of toxicity
  • overdoseAn amount of a medicine or other substance that is more than the body can safely handle, taken by accident or on purpose, which can cause poisoning or death.
  • therapeutic indexA measure of a drug's safety that compares the dose that causes harm with the dose that gives the wanted effect; a narrow index means these doses are close together.
  • plasma concentrationThe amount of a drug in a given volume of blood plasma at a particular time, used to describe how a drug behaves and to check that levels are safe.
  • adverse drug reactionA harmful and unintended response to a medicine used at normal doses, ranging from a mild rash to serious damage to the liver, kidneys or blood.

More terms: Side Effects and Interactions

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.