Drugs Flashcards
What is a drug?
Natural or synthetic substance that is used to produce psychological or physiological effects in humans or other higher order animals
Drugs of abuse or illicit drugs
When drugs are produced legally or illegally, and are taken strictly for pleasure
When drugs are taken for a therapeutic reason, they are known as what?
Pharmaceuticals
Body’s physical need– or addiction– to a specific chemical
Drug dependence
The severity of likelihood of the dependence is influenced by what?
Nature of the drug
Route of administration
Dose
Frequency of use
Individual rate of metabolism
Personal characteristics of user
Drug dependence can be . . .
Physical, psychological, or involve aspects of both
Physical dependence involves what?
Physiological side effects of tolerance and withdrawal that usually results from chronic use
Physical dependence can result in what?
Withdrawal sickness
What is withdrawal sickness?
When the drug is abruptly stopped, the body will go through an illness that can have side effects worse than taking the drug
Examples of specific classes of drugs that are more prone to physical dependency?
Narcotics and depressants
Psychological Dependence is considered what?
Addiction
Addiction involves what?
Perceived need or desire for a drug
Inability to function normally without drug
Addicts often ponder drug use long after ____________ has subsided
Physical need
Two major patterns of abuse?
Initiated medically and unable to stop after medication course is over
Experimentation and recreational use
Tolerance
The need to ingest progressively larger amounts of a drug to maintain a desired effect
Tolerance is characterized by marked decrease in both _______ and _______ of desired effect of a dosage
Time duration and intensity
Tolerance development?
Inconsistent and unpredictable
What often accompanies increased tolerance?
Toxic side effects
Natural drugs?
Chemicals used either therapeutically or recreationally that are made from plants or animals
What kind of drugs can be either raw or refined?
Plant-derived
Raw plant-derived drugs
Cannabis, mushrooms
Refined plant-derived drugs
Heroin, cocaine
What type of drugs tend to be more pharmaceutical in nature?
Animal-derived drugs
Examples of animal-derived drugs that tend to be more pharmaceutical in nature?
Insulin
Cod liver
Thyroid
Bufotenine (venom from toads)
Many recreational drugs have plant-based sources?
Flowers
Seeds
Stems
Leaves
Roots
Fruit
Bark
Synthetic drugs
Derived from mineral sources using chemical processes
What type of drug has no natural ingredients?
Synthetic drug
Examples of synthetic drugs?
LSD
Methamphetamine
“Designer Drugs”
Synthetic drugs created from an illegal drug source
Examples of “Designer Drugs”?
Synthetic marijuana
“bath salts”
N-bomb (alternative to LSD)
Psychotropic drugs
Mind altering chemicals
Different categories of psychotropic drugs depending on the effect?
Excitantia
Inebriantia
Hypnotica
Euphorica
Phantastica
Entactogens
Psychodysleptics
These are drugs that cause an excited state, or are stimulants; known as “uppers”?
Excitania/Stimulants
Stimulants
Usually cause enhanced alertness, wakefulness, and temporary improvements to physical or mental functions
Also known as psychoanalytic in pharmacology?
Stimulants
Examples of stimulants?
Caffeine
Amphetamines
Nicotine
Cocaine
These are drugs that create a feeling of pleasure or happiness in a person? (also known as Depressants)
Inebriantia/Intoxicants
What are the most noted side-effects of intoxicants?
Pain-relief
Memory impairment
Lowered blood pressure
Lowered heart rate
Examples of intoxicants?
Alcohol
Nitrous Oxide
Barbiturates
These drugs induce sleep, usually treating insomnia, night terrors, and other sleep disorders?
Hypnotica/Soporifics
The most commonly prescribed soporifics (Hypnotica) fall in which category/
Benzodiazepines
Hypnotica/Soporifics are also known as what in pharmacology?
Psychodysleptic
These are drugs that are used as a tranquilizer or an analgesic?
Euphorica/Sedative
Side effects of sedatives?
Slurred speech
Staggering
Loss of reflexes
Unconsciousness
Are sedatives used therapeutically?
Yes
What are sedatives also known as in pharmacology?
Psycholeptic
Examples of sedatives?
Lorazepam
Valium
Klonopin
These are drugs that cause hallucinations
Phantastica/Hallucinogens
What are hallucinations?
A distortion of the perception of reality
Side effects of hallucinogens?
Hearing sounds
Seeing images that are not there
Feeling sensations that are not there
Examples of hallucinogens?
LSD
Peyote
PCP
Also known as an empathogen?
Entactogen
These drugs create experiences of oneness, emotional openness, and other emotion-based experiences?
Entactogens
These are considered different from hallucinogens, psychedelic, amphetamine or stimulants
Entactogens
Example of an entactogen?
MDMA
An analgesic or pain-killing substance that depresses the central nervous system?
Narcotics
What do Narcotics do?
Lowers vital body functions such as blood pressure, pulse rate, and breathing rate
Narcotics are also known as what?
Opioids
What do opioids include?
Morphine
Heroin
Thebaine
Methadone
Codeine
Opiates are drugs that are derived from what?
Opium poppy, which has the scientific name of Papaver somniferum
There is a group of drugs which are not derived from opiates but are considered opioids
These can be synthetic or semi-synthetic
What is the drug, Opium?
An emulsion of the poppy microparticles suspended in an aqueous solution (latex)
What is Opium?
A brown powder which has a morphine content ranging between 4% - 21%
Opium drug is most frequently sold, transported, and smuggled as what?
Heroin
Therapeutically, opioids were used as what?
Anesthesia
Cough suppressant
Diarrhea suppressant
What is Methadone used for?
Reverse opioid overdose
Side effects of opioids?
Itchiness
Sedation
Nausea
Respiratory depression (main effect in overdose)
Euphoria
Constipation
An analgesic that is used as a painkiller?
Morphine
When is morphine frequently used?
During myocardial infarction or during labor
Can be given orally, injected into muscle or dermal, or IV
Maximum effect occurs within 20-60 minutes (depending on delivery method) and wears off after 3-7 hours
Why does morphine have a high potential for abuse and addiction?
Patients and addicts will go through withdrawal if the drug is removed from their system
Morphine withdrawal stage I
6-14 hours after last dose; craving, anxiety, irritability, dysphoria
Morphine withdrawal stage II
14-18 hours; yawning, mild depression, crying, headaches, “yen sleep”
Morphine withdrawal stage III
16-24 hours; runny nose, dilated pupils, goosebumps, muscle twitches, inability to regulate temperature, aching bones/muscles, loss of appetite, intestinal cramping
Morphine withdrawal stage IV
24-36 hours; involuntary leg movements, insomnia, elevated blood pressure and body temperature, tachycardia
Morphine withdrawal stage V
36-72 hours; fetal position, vomiting, diarrhea, increased WBC count, weight loss between 2 to 5 kg per 24 hours
Morphine withdrawal stage VI
> 72 hours; recovery begins; acute symptoms becoming chronic (mostly psychological); may also involve increased pain sensitivity, hypertension, colitis, weight control problems
Heroin
Addition of an acetic anhydride or an acetyl chloride to morphine
Commonly, how is heroine put in the body?
Injected, which creates an instantaneous effect with maximum sensitivity
The “high” is accompanied by a sense of well-being and drowsiness, which lasts how long?
At least 3-4 hours
Thebaine
Unlike other opiates, this creates a stimulatory effect
Not used therapeutically, but thebaine can be converted into what?
Oxycodone
Oxymorphone
Naloxone
Created from an opiate with additional chemicals added?
Semi-synthetic opioids