Drugs (Irritability) Flashcards
What is a drug?
A drug may be defined as any chemical substance besides food, that when taken into the body, alters its structure and/or function.
What are drugs used for?
Drugs may be used for treating ,diagnosing and preventing disease as well as it may be used for non-medicinal purposes.
Advantages of drugs
- For treating diseases e.g. antiretroviral drugs help to keep persons with AIDS healthy Penicillin is a common antibiotic used for the treatment of many bacterial infections.
- For diagnosing diseases.
- For preventing diseases e.g. multivitamins
- For controlling pain e.g. the use of Aspirin for pain relief
Types of drugs
prescription (antibiotics and drugs for hypertension)
non- perscription (panadol, pain relief)
medicinal (purpose of healing)
non-medicinal (alcohol)
legal
illegal
What is an illegal drug?
An illegal drug is defined as one that once in possession is forbidden by the laws of the country.
Depressants
slow down the actions of the nervous system (heroine, alcohol, barbituaries, tranqulizers and morphine)
Stimulant
speeds up the actions of the nervous system, higly addictive (amph, cociane, crack cocine, escatsy and nictoine)
Hallucigens
affect the nervous system and produces feelings of false reality(cannabis i.e. marajuana, lsd, glue)
chronic abuse
the result of high consumption over a long time
abuse of painkillers
leads to kidney damage raised blood pressure, anemia and digestive problems, if it continues can lead to kidney failure without trestment death.
psychoactive drugs
affects the mental and behavioural state and interferes with the nervous system
physical dependance
when the body adapts to a drug and increaes its tolerence to the drug’s effects
drug abuse
If abused, i.e. used wrongly, all drugs, including prescriptiondrugs, can become addictive and harmful. If the drug is then withdrawn, the user suffers from withdrawal symptoms.
short term effects of alcohol
Impaired muscular skills, reduced muscular coordination and slowed reflexes.
Impaired mental functioning, concentration and judgement.
• Blurred vision and slurred speech.
• Memory lapses.
• Drowsiness.
Increased urine production leading to dehydration. • Loss of consciousness.
long term effects alcohol
Long-term memory loss.
• Increased blood pressure causing heart disease, heart attack and stroke.
• Inflammation of the stomach walls, stomach ulcers and other intestinal disorders.
Fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver.
Nervous system disorders and brain damage as brain cells die.
• Cancer of the mouth, throat and oesophagus.
Delirium tremens (DTs), a condition characterised by body tre
abuse of cociane
Feelings of well-being, increased energy, alertness, confidence and power.
Bizarre, erratic, violent behaviour and hallucinations.
• Paranoia, anxiety and depression.
• Increased breathing rate and heart rate.
• Reduced need for sleep.
Damage to the lungs and nasal passages.
• Loss of appetite which can lead to nutritional deficiencies and increased susceptibility to infection.
Constriction of blood vessels which increases blood pressure and can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
• Schizophrenia and other mental disorders
perscriptions drugs most commonly abused are
tranquilisers, antibiotics, diet pills, pain kill (analgesics), caffeine and steriods
tranquilisers
used to treat anxiety and insomnia.
abuse of them e.g. valium leads to slurred speech, poor muscular coordination, reduced attention span, dizziness sleepiness blurred vision apathy
antibiotics
used to treat bacterial infections
overuse or incomplete course of them can lead to
the development of antibiotic-resistant starins of bacteria, in some cases making the use of antibiotics uneffective..
some show allergic reactions to antibiotics whioch can be fatal like penicillin
diet pills
used to help lose weight.
abuse of diet pill can lead to
dizziness, anxiety, difficulty sleeping, high blood pressure, DIARRHOEA
drug abuse social and economical effects
upsets relationships with families and friends, automobile accidents, job loss as drug abuser is unable to work, increased crime or even prostitution as the abuser needs tof ind money to pay for the drugs
increased demands on health services like rehabs and shortened life span of abuser
prostitution leads to STIS and the use of intravenous drugs exposes them to hepatitis B and AIDS.
crime leads to arrest and imprisonment
babies born to abuser may have defects or be addicted to drugs themselves
the cost to society of drug abuse is high money has to be put into rehabilitation centers, fight drug related crimes, to apprend drug abusers who commit crimes, imprison traffickers and pushers of drugs
**ultimately, standards of living are reduced and human resources are lost. **
CIRRHOSIS
Long term effect of the abuse of alcohol
Cirrhosis is a condition in which your liver is scarred and permanently damaged. Scar tissue replaces healthy liver tissue and prevents your liver from working normally. As cirrhosis gets worse, your liver begins to fail.
alcoholics
A person who repeatedly consumes alcoholic beverages in excess of normal social drinking customs runs the risk of becoming an alcoholic. Alcoholics are dependent on alcohol and alcoholism is classed as a disease. Severe alcoholism can lead to death.
