Chapter 13: Drugs and Alcohol Flashcards
1
Q
Drug Definitions
A
- Drug: any substance other than food or water that is taken in order to change the structure or function of the body
- Psychoactive drug: one that exerts its effects on the brain, causing a change in perception, mood, thinking, and/or behaviour
- Drug abuse: Excessive drug use that is inconsistent with accepted medical practice
2
Q
5 Routes of Administration
A
- Inhalation (smoking can damage air passage)
- Subcutaneous injection
- Oral dosage (drug levels rise most slowly)
- Intravenous Injection
- Intramuscular injection
- Injecting/smoking drugs is more likely to cause dependence
- -Strong stimulus-response pairing
- -Also, these wear off more quickly
- –Users may take more frequent doses
- Injecting drugs is more likely to transmit infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV
3
Q
Caffeine (Stimulant)
A
- Most widely used psychoactive drug in North America
- Mild stimulant, effects at low doses are relatively harmless
- Excess consumption can cause shaking, difficulty concentrating, insomnia, even irregular heartbeat
- Withdrawal can cause irritability, drowsiness and headache
4
Q
Tobacco (Stimulant)
A
- Contains nicotine
- Leading preventable cause of disease, disability and death!
- -Smoking is strongly associated with CVD, which kills more smokers than lung cancer
- -Carcinogens in cigarette smoke damage DNA, and poisons in weaken tumor fighters
- -Chronic smoking can also cause bronchitis, emphysema and reproductive complications
- If you quit before age 30, health can become almost as good as that of a non -smoker
5
Q
Cocaine
A
- Stimulant derived from coca plant
- Rapid heart/breathing rate, decreased appetite
- Users may experience feelings of euphoria, alertness, competency, power, invincibility
- -Activates the brain’s reward pathway
- -Repeated use can lead to insomnia, weight loss, impotence
- -Overdose can cause death due to heart irregularities
- ‘Crack’ is a less pure freebase form of cocaine
- Powerfully addictive
6
Q
Amphetamines (Stimulant)
A
- Powerful stimulants; effects similar to cocaine
- Most popular recently = methamphetamine; “meth”
- Can be made from household ingredients, therefore cheap
- Promote tolerance, powerfully addictive, very high relapse rate
- Chronic use may lead to anxiety, confusion, insomnia, mood disturbances, and violent behavior.
- Amphetamine psychosis: psychotic features including paranoia, visual and auditory hallucinations, and delusions
7
Q
Ecstasy (Stimulant)
A
- MDMA (X, ‘molly’)
- Stimulant; acutely increases serotonin release
- -Mood elevator
- -‘coming down’ associated with serotonin imbalances, promoting symptoms of depression
- Chronic use promotes lower levels of serotonin
- Risks similar to cocaine and amphetamines
- -Confusion, depression, sleep problems, drug cravings, short term memory loss, death often associated with dehydration and heat exhaustion
8
Q
Cannabis (Depressant)
A
- Most widely used illicit drug
- A depressant that acts on cannabinoid receptors in the CNS
- -Pleasure, memory, thinking, concentration, sensory perception, coordination
- Acute effects: mild euphoria, heightened perception, euphoria, drowsiness, red eyes
- Chronic effects
- -May interfere with memory/learning
- -Associated with reproductive dysfunction
- -May promote schizophrenia in those susceptible, especially if smoked during adolescence
- -Biggest health risk is effects on airways
- -Marijuana smoke contains many carcinogens
9
Q
Cannabis Benefits
A
- May help relieve nausea, vomiting, chronic pain
- May help treat glaucoma, epilepsy, anorexia, MS, arthritis and migraines
- Safest way to consume is probably with a vaporizer (not to be confused with vaping). Vaping of THC has led to deaths in the USA, while smoking ‘joints’ or ‘blunts’ is probably the most harmful
10
Q
Hallucinogens (Hallucinogen)
A
- LSD, PCP, mushrooms (psilocybin)
- Distort perception of reality, cause emotional swings
- Typically taken orally, effects can last 8+ hours
- Risks of irrational acts while on the drug, LSD users may experience flashbacks
- Environment and mood as well as dose and one’s expectations can have a profound effect on whether one has a ‘good trip’ or a ‘bad trip’
11
Q
Opioids (Opiate Narcotics)
A
- Opium, heroin, methadone, morphine, codeine, demerol, oxycodone, fentanyl
- Derivatives or synthetic analogues of opioids from the opium poppy
- Some prescribed for pain
- Causes relaxation, euphoria, slowed breathing, slurred speech, impaired balance and coordination
- Higher doses can cause stupor, unconsciousness, coma and death
12
Q
Ethanol (Depressant)
A
-Alcohol is a depressant, though it may seem like a stimulant
-Most highly abused psychoactive substance
-Acute effects = mild euphoria, relaxation, altered judgement, impaired motor skills
–Female intake <10
–Male intake <15
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13
Q
Risks of Alcohol Use/Abuse
A
- Addiction
- CVD
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Cancers
- Malnutrition
- Mental illness
14
Q
Alcohol-Related Problems
A
- Alcohol Abuse: Continued use of alcohol despite awareness of social, occupational, psychological, or physical problems related to its use, or use of alcohol in dangerous ways or situations, such as before driving.
- Alcohol Dependence: Development of a strong craving for alcohol due to the pleasurable feelings or relief of stress and anxiety produced by drinking.
- Alcoholism: Inability to control drinking, unmanageable life, preoccupation with alcohol, continued use of alcohol despite adverse consequences, and distorted thinking (denial)
15
Q
Risk Factors for Drug Dependency
A
- Depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, and schizophrenia
- Easy access to drugs
- Low self-esteem, or problems with relationships
- Live a stressful lifestyle, economic or emotional
- Live in a culture where there is a high social acceptance of drug use
- Dual Diagnosis
