Drug Misuse- Clinical aspects Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the most dangerous drugs?

A
Heroin
Cocaine
Barbiturates 
Street methadone
Alcohol
Kefamine
Benzodiazepines 
Amphetamine
Tobacco
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2
Q

What is cocaine?

A

Most potent natural stimulant

Extracted from leaves of coca leaves

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3
Q

What are the different forms of cocaine?

A

Coca leaves- chewed or brewed
Cocaine hydrochloride is snorted or injected
Cocaine freebase of crack cocaine is smoked

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4
Q

What are the effects of cocaine

A

Depends on dose and rate of entry to brain
Smoking- almost immediate
Injecting 15-30s
Snorting 3-5 minutes
Crack smoking effects are very intense but go away after 15 minutes or so

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5
Q

What does cocaine do

A

Stimulant and euphoriant

Increased alertness and energy

Increased confidence and poor judgement

Less sleep and increased appetite

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6
Q

What are the health damages of cocaine

A
Damage to nose and airways
Convulsions respiratory failure
Cardiac arrhythmias and MI
Hypertension and CVA
Toxic confusion
Paranoid psychosis
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7
Q

What are the withdrawl effects of Cocaine?

A
Depression
Irritability
Agitation
Craving
Hyperphagia
Hypersomnia
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8
Q

What is an amphetamine

A

Generally amphetamine sulphate
Sniffed,swallowed or injected
Effects similar to cocaine but longer lasting (many hours)
Toxic confusion occasionally convulsions and death
Amphetamine psychosis in chronic use (looks like schizophrenia)

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9
Q

What are opiates

A
Opium
Morphine
Heroin (diamorphine)
Methadone
Codeine and dihydrocodeine
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10
Q

What is the biggest risk to opioids?

A

How you take it

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11
Q

What is heroin?

A

First synthesised from morphine in 1874
Addictive potential unrecognised for years
May be in power or tar form
Purity varies from 1%-98%

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12
Q

How do you take heroin

A

Snort
Smoke- safe but expensive
Inject- most dangerous

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13
Q

What are the physical affects of heroin

A
Analgesia
Drowsiness, sleepiness
Mood changes (plEausre)
Respiratory depression
Cough reflex depression
Sensitisation of the labyrinth with nausea and vomiting
Decreased sympathetic outflow
Lowering of body temperature 
Pupillary constriction 
Constipation 
Bradycardia/hypotension
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14
Q

What are the side effects of opioids

A

Short term- intense pleasure, physical and emotional anaesthetic

Medium term- phlebits, anorexia, constipation

Long term- tolerance, withdrawl, social and health problems

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15
Q

What are the withdrawl effects of opiates

A
Craving
Insomnia
Yawning
Muscles pain and cramps
Increased salivary, nasal and lacrimal secretions
Dilated pupils
Piloerection (goosebumps)
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16
Q

What is the purpose of methadone

A

To decriminalise drug users
Allows normalisation of lifestyle
Reduces IV misuse
Leakage onto the illicit market

17
Q

What is ecstasy and what does it do?

A
Mixture of LSD and amphetamines 
Euphoria followed by the feeling of calm
Increased solubility 
Can’t distinguish between what you want and what you don’t want 
Effects last 2-4 hours
18
Q

What are the side effects of ecstasy

A
Nausea and dry mouth
Increase blood pressure and temperature
Club users risk dehydration
Large doses can cause anxiety and panic
Drug induced psychosis
Liver and brain cell damage?
19
Q

What is the most serious long terms effects of ecstasy

A

Seriously depleted serotonin centres

20
Q

What is cannabis

A

Most commonly used illicit drug
Tetrahydrocannabinol is the psychoactive component (THC)
CBD is the relaxing aspect

21
Q

What are the psychological effects of cannabis?

A

Relaxing or stimulating, euphoriant. Increases sociability and hilarity, increases appetite changes in time perception, synaesthesia

In high dose- anxiety panic, persecutors ideation, hallucinatory activity

22
Q

What are the negative effects of cannabis?

A

Respiratory problems as with tobacco
Toxic confusion
Exacerbation of major mental illness
Cannabis psychosis

23
Q

What are anabolic steroids

A

Also called androgenic steroids
Anabolic steroids, steroids for brevity
Family of drugs comprising testosterone and many synthetic analogies
Legitimately prescribed in hypogonadism, muscular dystrophy, various anemia’s and wasting in AIDS

24
Q

What do anabolic steroids do?

A

Used in sports requiring muscle mass and strength

Also used to enhance appearance, increases muscle mass and reduces body fat

25
Q

What are the side effect of steroids?

A

Acne, stretch marks and baldness
Feminisation in makes with hypoganadism and gynaecomastia (occasioning use of anti-oestrogen)
Virilasation in woman including hirsutism, deep voice, clitoral enlargement, menstrual irregularities, hair thinning

26
Q

What are the medical side effects of steroid use

A

Cardiovascular increased cholesterol and hypertension

Growth deficits due to premature closure of epiphyses

Liver disease (cholestatic jaundice, liver tumours)

Irritability and anger (roid rage)

Hypomania and mania

Depression and suicidality on withdrawl