Controlled Substances Flashcards
Who makes sure that patients with legitimate medical needs have access to these drugs while keeping them away from people who would abuse them?
Health care providers, government, and law enforcement officials
What is the Title 21 United States Code Controlled Substances Act (1970)?
Congress gave the United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) authority to set the schedule of controlled substances and control laws related to these substances
What aspects determine which category or schedule a drug should fall into? (according to the controlled substances act)
The drug’s acceptable medical use
The drug’s potential for abuse
The drug’s safety or dependence liability
Abuse rate (schedule I are considered the most dangerous and schedule V is the least)
What are schedule I drugs?
These are substances or chemicals defined as drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse
Schedule I drugs are the most dangerous of all drug schedules with potentially severe psychological and/or physical dependence
What are examples of schedule I drugs?
Heroin
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)
3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (ecstasy)
Peyote (some controversy regarding religious use by Native American People who have used it for centuries)
What are schedule II drugs?
These are substances or chemicals defined as drugs but with a high potential for abuse; less than Schedule I drugs
These drugs can potentially lead to severe psychological or physical dependence and are also considered dangerous
What are some examples of schedule II drugs?
Morphine & Fentanyl (100x more powerful than morphine)
Hydrocodone & combination acetaminophen with < 15 mgs of hydrocodone per dosage unit (e.g., Vicodin)
Oxycodone (OxyContin)
Cocaine (powerful local anesthetic and vasoconstrictor-not used much for medicinal purposes in the U. S.)
Methamphetamine
Methadone (used in drug addiction/detoxification programs)
Meperidine (Demerol)
Adderall and Ritalin (used for ADHD)
What is a schedule III drug?
These are substances or chemicals defined as drugs with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence
Schedule III drugs abuse potential is less than that of Schedule I & II drugs but greater than Schedule IV drugs
What are some examples of schedule III drugs?
Products containing < 90 milligrams of codeine per dosage unit (Tylenol with codeine)
Ketamine (used as a general anesthetic but abused as a recreational drug-hallucinogenic effects)
Anabolic steroids –Testosterone
Marijuana (cannabis)
What are schedule IV drugs?
These are substances or chemicals defined as drugs with a low potential for abuse and low risk of dependence
What are some examples of schedule IV drugs?
Xanax (alprazolam, a benzodiazepine used to treat anxiety and panic disorders)
Valium
Ativan (Benzodiazepine; treats anxiety, anxiety with depression, and insomnia
Ambien
Tramadol (non-narcotic pain medication)
What are schedule V drugs?
These are substances or chemicals defined as drugs with lower potential for abuse than Schedule IV
They consist of preparations containing limited quantities of certain narcotics
Schedule V drugs are generally used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, and analgesic purposes
What are some examples of schedule V drugs?
Cough preparations with < 200 mgs of codeine or per 100 milliliters (e.g., Robitussin AC)
Lomotil (for diarrhea)
Lyrica (for nerve pain/neuropathy)
What are the different drug effects on the body?
Therapeutic effects (clinically desirable effects)
Adverse effects/reactions (any undesired action, side effects)
Are adverse drug effects dose related?
Yes
The more doses you have, the less symptoms you will have
Sometimes it won’t go away and could get worse
What are toxicity reactions?
Resulting in cell and tissue damage
Permanent (or take a long time to reverse) and generally intolerable reactions
Does general anesthesia increase the risk for adverse drug reactions?
Yes
GA agents and opiate analgesics are a significant cause of ADRs in hospitalized children
6x greater risk
What are some other factors that increased the risk of ADRs?
Increasing age of the child (more active and prone to disease)
Increasing number of drugs
Oncological treatment
What is a monograph?
Package inserts that must accompany prescription drugs in the pharmacy inventory
Info about drugs (including side effects)
FDA required that all ADRs are included in this
How are ADRs reported?
Systems/organs affected
Percentage of population affected
How can ADRs be categorized?
The body system or organ affected (cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive system, endocrine system, special senses, skin)
General side effects that affect the whole body (malaise, fatigue, body pain, back pain)
What are some signs of an ADR in the nervous system?
Dizziness
Drowsiness
Confusion
Depression
Delusions (belief or altered realty despite evidence to the contrary)
Hallucinations (sensory experiences that appear real but are not)
Anxiety or hyper-excitability/hyperactivity
Decreased mental acuity
Altered judgment
Delayed reaction time
Headaches
What are some signs of an ADR in the eyes?
Blurred/double vision
Increased ocular pressure
Damage to the retina and optic nerve
Erythema multiforme (allergic reaction to some antibiotics, NSAIDs, and infections, produces a variety of skin lesions - bumps, plaques, and blisters)
What is erythema multiforme in its most severe form?
Stevens-Johnson syndrome
Painful skin rash that spreads and blisters
Increased risk if the patient has a gene called HLA-B 1502
What are some signs of an ADR is the auditory-vestibular system?
Dizziness
Vertigo
Other balance disorders
Hearing loss
Tinnitus
What are the most common side effects of medications?
Tinnitus and dizziness
What are some signs of an ADR related to the skin?
Drug-induced itching and redness
Acne
Alopecia
Herpes simplex (viral infection that can produce cold sores, genital inflammation, or conjunctivitis)
Sweating
Urticaria (hives)
Skin ulcers
Steven Johnson syndrome
Are drug hypersensitivity and allergies adverse drug reactions?
Yes
They occur because of the body’s immune system
What are antigens?
Any substance that elicits an immune response
Does the immune system have many components?
Yes
Parts of the immune system are antigen-specific (recognize and act against particular antigens)
Parts of it are systemic (not confined to the initial infection site but work throughout the body)
Parts of the system have memory (recognize and mount an even stronger attack to the same antigen the next time)
What is the most important component of the immune system?
Self/non-self recognition
achieved by every cell displaying a marker based on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
Any cell not displaying this marker is treated as non-self and attacked
What are the major histocompatibility complex?
A group of genes that code for cell surface proteins essential for the immune system
What happens with the self recognition process breaks down?
The immune system attacks the body’s own cells even with MHC marker (autoimmune diseases)
What are some examples of autoimmune diseases?
Multiple sclerosis (MS), sudden sensorineural hearing loss, rheumatoid arthritis, and Type 1 diabetes
What are allergies?
An immune response to innocuous substances that is inappropriately overwhelming
Simple substances that elicit this response are called allergens
What are the two main fluid systems in the body that are part of the immune system?
Hematopoietic (blood) and lymphatic systems
What are the cells of the hematopoietic system?
Erythrocytes or red blood cells (RBCs) - Carry oxygen
Leukocytes or white blood cells (WBCs) - Fight infections
Thrombocytes or platelets - Help control bleeding