What it means
How well a treatment works. In pharmacology, efficacy is the greatest effect a drug can produce, no matter how high the dose; potency is how much drug is needed to get an effect. A drug can be potent but less effective, or the reverse. Checking whether a drug worked is called evaluating its therapeutic effect.
For the nurse
After giving a drug, check for the expected effect: pain relief, a lower blood pressure, easier breathing. Report a drug that is not working.
At a glance
| Spanish | eficacia |
|---|---|
| Also written | efficacious |
Related terms
evaluate
To judge whether care worked by comparing the client's results with the goals that were set.
pharmacokinetics
How the body takes in, spreads, changes and gets rid of a drug over time.
dose
The amount of a drug given at one time.