B1.3 - Drugs Flashcards
What is a drug?
A drug is a chemical substance which alters chemical processes taking place in the body.
What are the three main drug testing stages?
The drugs are tested using computer models and human cells in a lab. However, drugs that affect whole body systems cannot be tested this way as there is no complete system to test.
Drugs that pass the first stage are tested on animal to see if the drug works, to find out its toxicity (how harmful it is) and the optimum dosage.
Drugs are then used in clinical trials on human volunteers to check for any side effects. The people suffering from the illness then get to test the drug further with a double blind trial with two groups, etc.
What are new drugs tested for?
New drugs are extensively tested for toxicity,
efficacy and dose.
What is meant by a placebo?
A placebo is a tablet or injection which looks exactly like a treatment but has no active drug.
What is a double-blind drug trial?
In these trials, neither the patient nor the doctors know which patient is receiving the active drug and which is receiving the placebo. This is to prevent bias and have both groups be handled in the same manner.
What are statins used for?
Statins are used to lower the risk of heart and circulatory diseases. They reduce the liver’s production of cholesterol.
What was thalidomide originally used for?
Thalidomide was originally developed as a sleeping pill but was found to reduce morning sickness in pregnant women.
What is thalidomide used to treat now?
Leprosy and some forms of cancer
What was the problem with thalidomide?
Thalidomide had never been tested on pregnant women or animals. Many babies born to mothers who had taken the drug were born with limb abnormalities..
What happened as a result of the thalidomide scandal?
The drug was banned and more rigorous drug testing procedures were introduced?
State two legal recreational drugs.
Alcohol and nicotine
State three illegal recreational drugs
Ecstasy, cannabis, and heroin
Why are ecstasy, cannabis, and heroin harmful to the human body?
Ecstasy, cannabis, and heroin have harmful effects on the heart and circulatory system.
Why do people smoke cannabis and what are the negative side-effects?
Cannabis can help relax individuals and can also help with some medical issues. They can also just be taken for fun.
However, there are studies that link cannabis to mental illness and additionally cannabis can lead to hard drug use with users using some more severe illegal drugs.
Why do legal drugs have a greater impact on health than illegal drugs?
Legal drugs are used be far more people, as they’re legal, and thus lead to more health issues. They are also freely available to use and are promoted in the media.
