Drugs Test Flashcards
What is a drug?
A substance that affects body chemistry and the way your body works.
Depressants
Slows down nerve and brain activity, can relieve feelings of anxiety.
e.g. Alcohol, cannabis, solvents,tranquilisers, sleeping pills
Stimulants
Increase nerve and brain activity, make you feel more awake and alert and may produce feelings of extreme wellbeing.
e.g. Nicotine, caffeine, ecstasy, cocaine, amphetamine (speed)
Hallucinogens
Alter what we see and hear changing a person’s perception of reality.
e.g. LSD
Painkillers (analgesics)
Block nerve impulses.
e.g. paracetamol, aspirin, heroin
Performancd enhancing
Improve muscle development.
e.g. anabolic steroids
Medicinal drugs
Some medicinal drugs can be obtained without a prescription.
Eg. Aspirin, paracetamol.
Others require a prescription.
e.g. antibiotics are used to treat bacterial infections, salbutamol used in asthma inhalers, pain killers such as aspirin and paracetamol.
Recreational drugs
drugs can also be taken for pleasure, perhaps an individual likes how th edrug makes them feel. Recreation drugs affext the way the nervous system and brain works (psychoactive). It is theze chmages that people enjoy. Some recrational drugs are legal (with age restrictions)
e.g. alcohol and tobacco
others are illegal
e.g. cannabis, cocaine, heroin, ketamine, LAD, ecstasy/MDMA.
Some medicines are prescription only- when taken without a prescription (for recreational use) they become illegal.
Who discovered penicillin?
Alexander Fleming
What does penicillin help to treat?
bacterial infections
What was Alexander Fleming’s warning?
The development of resistant strains. Overuse of antibiotics has resulted in antibiotic resistance and the threat that widespread resistance poses.
When was penicillin discovered?
28th September 1928
What trials have to take place in order for a specific drug to be licensed?
New medicinal drugs need to go through rigorous drug trials before they can be licensed for use in patients.
Tests called placebo trials take place when testing for a new drug. Instead of a real pill, sugar pills are given to one person eho is doing the test so that they do not have the effect that makes you think you feel better when you might not. You are unaware whether you have the real or placebo pill.
The double blind test means that neither the doctor or the patient knows who has the sugar pill.
How can you get addicted to a specific drug
When you take a drug, you may experience feelings of pleasure (which mostly does not last very long) and when you have this feeling of pleasure, your brain is hardwired to do it again. It is also because when a drug wears off, you frequently get bad side effects without it.
How can drug addiction occur?
Some drugs change the chemical processes in brain so you may become addicted to them. For example, they may affect the release and uptake of dopamine, thr pleasure chemicsl in the brain. Over the brain can undergo physical changes. Once addicted, you may need larger doses to get the same effect. Ehen addicts try to stop they get withdrawal symptoms which may include:
aches and pains, sweating, shaking, headaches, cravings for the drug.
Alcohol
Short term effects
•alcohol relaxes people
•slows down reactions (increases risk of accidents e.g. when driving)
•loss of control, unconsciousness and even death
Long term effects
•damage to liver and brain and increased risk of cancer
Effects on society
•drink driving accidents
•domestic violence
•binge drinking, costs to nhs
•recommendation is no more than 14 units per week for men and women
Cocaine
•stimulant
•may be snorted, smoked, injected
Short term risks
•high temperature leading to seizure
•racing heart, heart attack, death from overdose
Long term risks
•depression, anxiety, paranoia, panic attacks
•strong craving for the drug
•risk taking behaviour
•damage to cartilage of nose if snorted, breathing problems and chest pain if smoked, damage to blood vesseld and risk of gangrene if injected
Cannabis
- most widely used drug in the UK
- comes form cannabis plant
- hallucinogen
- smoked
- makes people feel happy and relaxed
- people claim it helps relieve painful symptons of conditions like multiple sclerosis
- slows down reactions
- is addictive and can cause serious mental illness specifically to teenagers
Ketamine
•anaesthetic and stops you feeling pain •causes loss of feeling, paralysis and feeling as if floating outside body. •can cause hallucinations Short term risks •injury (because cant feel pain) •high dose or mixed with other drugs can be fatal Long term risks •serious bladder problems
Heroin
•derived from opium poppies
•active ingredient is morphine which is a poweful painkiller (analgesic)
•low dose gives user feelings of well being and larger doses makes them feel relaxed and happy
•is extremely addictive
Short term risks
•death due to inhalation of vomit or overdose
Long term risks
•injecting heroin can lead to damage to veins and arteries may cause gangrene in affected limbs
Ecstasy
•also known as MDMA •in 1980s and 90s it was used by clubbers-making them feel happy, energised and able to keep dancing all night. •feeling of affection to others Short term risks •death due to impurities in the drug •overheating and dehydration •anxiety, confusion and paranoia, depression when it wears off Long term risks •liver, kidney and heart problems •memory problems
Nitrous ocide
•also known as laughing gas (is inhaled) •depressant •feeling of euphoria, calmness, fits of giggling Short term risks •dizziness and loss of judgement may result injury due to accidents while under the influence, unconsciousness or even death Long term risks •anaemia and severe nerve damage •pins and needles
Performance enhancing drugs
People take drugs to improve their performance in sport or to help them build muscle for example anabolic steroids which are similar to male hormone testosterone and can be used as prescribed medicines for some conditions.
•stimulants
•side-effects can include paranoia irritability mood swings aggression and even violent behaviour. 
•shrunken testicles, erectional dysfunction and more.
