drugs Flashcards
drugs def
any substance taken into the body that modifies or affects chemical reactions in the body
what are antibiotics
chemical substances made by certain fungi or bacteria that affect the working of bacterial cells, either by disrupting their structure or function or by preventing them from reproducing.
what are antibiotics effective against
bacteria and not viruses
how do antibiotics treat bacterial infections
1) attacking the bacterial cell wall
2) preventing bacterial protein formation
3) inhibiting bacterial reproduction
what do antibiotics specifically target
bacterial machinery, therefore will not work on viruses
what can reduce the effectiveness of antibiotics
antibiotic-resistant bacteria
why dont antibiotics work on viruses
antibiotics work by disrupting cell functions such as respiration or breaking down the structure of the cell in some way
However, viruses do not carry out any cell functions and do not have cell walls, cell membranes or any cell organelles and hence don’t work on viruses
reasons for antibiotic-resistant bacteria to arise
overuse and being prescribed when not really necessary
patients failing to complete the fully prescribed course by a doctor
large scale use of antibiotics in farming to prevent disease when livestock are kept in close quarters, even when animals are not actually sick
what kind of drug is alcohol and what does it do
depressant drug - slows down signals in the nerves and brain
short term effects of alcohol
vomiting
impaired judgement
impaired balance and muscle control
sleepiness and unconsciousness
long term effects of alcohol
damages the brain causing confusion and memory less
can lead to liver cirhossis
what type of drug is heroin and what does it do
strong depressant, reduces pain and slows down breathing
what are the dangers of heroin
using dirty needles can pass on HIV
intense withdrawal symptoms (nausea, muscle cramps, sweating, anxiety and difficulty sleeping)
how does heroin affect the nervous system
heroin is metabolism to morphine
morphine molecules fit into the endorphin receptors, due to this taking heroin makes us feel amazing
Taking heroin can reduce the production of natural endorphins, which is why repeated use leads to the need for greater and greater amounts in order to get the same feelings
what can smoking cause
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
lung cancer
coronary heart disease
what are the toxic components of cigarette smoke
carbon monoxide - takes the place of oxygen in RBCs allowing less oxygen to be transported around the body
nicotine - the addictive drug in tobacco
tar - contains carcinogenic substances
how can tar cause chronic bronchitis
which stimulates goblet cells and mucus glands to enlarge, producing more mucus
what does a smokers cough signify
smoker’s cough is the attempt to move the mucus but it damages the epithelia resulting in scar tissue, which narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult
what does a smoker’s cough signify?
smoker’s cough is the attempt to move the mucus but it damages the epithelia resulting in scar tissue, which narrows the airways and makes breathing difficult
what are the negative effects of nicotine
nicotine narrows blood vessels, increasing blood pressure
narrow blood vessels are more likely to get clogged with fat, causing coronary heart disease
due to the less oxygen in the blood present in the body to do CHD muscle cells will begin to respire anaerobically, producing lactic acid which lowers the pH of the blood denaturing heart cells which could lead to heart attack
what can taking anabolic steroids help with
Taking anabolic steroids therefore increases muscle mass, helps athletes train harder and for longer periods of time, and can increase aggression which can give an edge when competing
side effects of taking anabolic steroids
increases risk of heart disease
increases risk of liver damage
increases risk of kidney damage
affect the menstrual cycle in women
decreases the ability of the immune system to destroy pathogens
