Exam 3 Flashcards
Alcohol
A depressant that acts on the central nervous system and produces a variety of sensations that many people experience as pleasurable including relaxation, euphoria and loss of inhibitions among others
A standard drink in the United States
12 g pure alcohol
Safe drinking limits
No more than 4 standard drinks in a day for men (14 weekly) and no more than 3 standard drinks per day for women (7 weekly).
Drinking levels in excess of these limits place individuals at risk for negative health effects and problem drinking.
Problem drinking
Encompasses a wide range of drinking behaviors from at-risk drinking to binge drinking to alcohol dependence.
Binge drinking
Defined by blood-alcohol content (BAC) but is generally considered 5+ drinks in one setting for men and 4+ drinks for women
At-risk drinking
Drinking in excess of the limits defined above by NIAAA
Alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence are what type of disorder?
Substance abuse disorders
Alcohol abuse
Maladaptive pattern of alcohol use causing impairment or distress as manifested by at least one of the following criteria in a 12-month period:
Recurrent use resulting in failure to fulfill major role obligations at home, work or school
Recurrent use in situations in which it is physically hazardous
Recurrent alcohol-related legal problems
Continued use despite persistent or recurrent social or interpersonal problems known to have been caused or exacerbated by the alcohol use
Alcohol dependence
Three or more of the following criteria in a 12-month period:
Tolerance
Withdrawal
Alcohol taken in larger amounts or over longer periods than intended
Persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control alcohol use
Great deal of time spent in activities necessary to obtain, use or recover from effects of alcohol
Social, occupational or recreational activities are given up or greatly reduced because of alcohol use
Alcohol use is continued despite knowledge of persistent physical or psychological problems that are known to be caused or exacerbated by alcohol use
Tolerance
Need for more alcohol to achieve the same effect, or reduced effect from the same amount of alcohol
Withdrawal
Characteristic alcohol withdrawal syndrome in absence of alcohol or consumption of alcohol to avoid withdrawal symptoms
List two factors that are associated with effective alcohol treatment programs.
Factors include six to eight weeks of participation, identification of triggers and skills to cope with them, provision of aftercare and involvement of significant others in treatment.
Leading cause of preventable death in the United States
Smoking
There is no safe level of cigarette smoking like alcohol.
Illicit drugs
Marijuana, cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), or ecstasy, among others
Prescription medications
Can also be abused and lead to addiction.
Primary among these medications are narcotics or opioids
Marijuana
Most commonly abused drug in the world, with the highest rates of use in the United States, Canada and Australia
Achieves its effects on the body by mimicking the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain.
One of the functions of dopamine is to regulate sensations of pleasure. The rewarding features of dopamine are the prolonged sensations of pleasure as it floods the brain, which is what causes many people to want to use it repeatedly
NOT a harmless drug
Health effects of repeated use of marijuana include short-term memory deficits, increased blood pressure and consequent risk of heart attack, sexual dysfunction, weakened immune functioning and increased risk of cancer.
Contains 50–70 percent more carcinogens than tobacco cigarettes
Cocaine
Cocaine and its less-refined version, crack, are derived from the coca plant most prominently found in South America.
Both forms are extremely addictive.
Acts on the dopaminergic system of the brain; blocks the ability of neurons to reuptake dopamine, thereby producing prolonged feelings of elation and euphoria.
Negative health effects: increased body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and irregular heartbeats; increased risk of heart attack or cardiac arrest, can cause seizures, abdominal pain, nausea, nosebleeds and other gastrointestinal problems.
Heroin
Heroin produces an initial feeling of euphoria, followed by an extremely sedated period that alternates between low-level wakefulness and drowsiness.
Negative health consequences: collapsed veins from repeated injections, increased risk of infectious diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, liver disease, infection of the heart lining and risk of death from depressed respiratory system when users stop breathing.
Methamphetamine
Stimulant that is exceptionally addictive and produces many sensations similar to those of cocaine
Acts on the dopamine receptors of the nervous system.
Health risks: damage to the central nervous system, increased heart rate, blood pressure and irregular heartbeats. Hyperthermia, convulsions, anxiety, irritability, insomnia and confusion.
MDMA (ecstasy)
Produces an intense high and stimulation.
Negative health effects: interference with the body’s ability to regulate its temperature, extreme thirst, liver, kidney and cardiovascular complication
Prescription Drugs
3 main classes of prescription medication that are commonly abused: opioids, depressants and stimulants
Opioids
Aka narcotics; are prescribed to treat pain and include morphine-based and codeine-based medicines.
Common opioids: hydrocodone (Vicodin) and oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet).
Inhibit the experience of pain by blocking opioid receptors in the brain. Also produce a sedative effect and when taken in higher doses than prescribed can lead to respiratory depression, cognitive problems, drowsiness, constipation and even death
Depressants
Medications that are commonly used to treat anxiety and include barbiturates (phenobarbital) and benzodiazepines.
Barbiturates are prescribed much more rarely than benzodiazepines because of the dangers associated with overdose.
Common benzodiazepines: alprazolam (Xanax), diazepam (Valium), and lorazepam (Ativan).
Benzodiazepines work by enhancing the function of the neurotransmitter GABA in the brain and produce a sedative, hypnotic effect as well as muscle relaxation.
Run a high risk of addiction and can produce tolerance and withdrawal.
Other negative effects when misused include lowered blood pressure, dizziness and disorientation as well as unconsciousness and death.
Stimulants
Prescribed to enhance energy and increase attention and are often prescribed for individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
When misused, they can produce feelings of increased motivation, wakefulness and productivity as well as improving mood and inducing feelings of euphoria. Common stimulants: amphetamine (Adderall) and methylphenidate (Ritalin).
Can increase blood pressure and heart rate as well as body temperature and feelings of irritability and paranoia.
Theories of Addiction
Cognitive-Affective Social Learning Conventional Commitment Personality Trait Integration
Cognitive-Affective theory of addiction
Three factors that increase likelihood of substance use:
- Positive attitudes about substance use
- Endorsement of use by others
- Perception that benefits outweigh costs
Social learning theory of addiction
Role models, such as friends, parents and so on, who model use of substances
Conventional commitment theory of addiction
Commitment to conventional social institutions (school, family, etc.) buffer against substance use. Weak ties increase likelihood of use.
Personality Trait theory of addiction
Stress and low self-esteem increase likelihood of substance use as means of coping.
Integration theory of addiction
Includes elements of all of the above theories as well as problem-behavior theory which states involvement in one problem behavior (e.g., truancy) increases likelihood of other problem behaviors such as substance use.
Cardiovascular disease
Aka coronary heart disease or heart disease
General term that refers to illnesses caused by atherosclerosis, the narrow- ing of the coronary arteries, the vessels that supply the heart with blood
Leading cause of death in the US
Many of the risk factors are preventable and in some cases reversible (high cholesterol, BP, obesity)
Cardiovascular reactivity
The tendency of the cardiovascular system to react in the presence of stress
Contributing factor in development of heart disease
Hard to control, but can control stress
How does stress play an indirect role in the development of heart disease?
In presence of stress, cardiovascular system may respond with increased HR and BP which is triggered by sympathetic nervous system
People vary in reactivity and latency back to normal
Leading causes of death in US
Heart disease Cancer Chronic respiratory disease Cerebrovascular disease Accidents Alzheimer's Diabetes Kidney disease Influenza and pneumonia Suicide
Metabolic syndrome
Cluster of risk factors that are precursor to heart disease
Strong risk factor for many health problems like heart disease, heart attack, stroke, and diabetes
Components are abdominal obesity, raised triglycerides, hypertension, insulin resistance and glucose intolerance, proinflammatory state, and prothrombotic state
How can atherosclerosis be described as a mediator in stress-heart attack relationship?
Stress can lead to negative health behaviors such as eating a diet high in fat and becoming less active physically. These behaviors can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, which can result in temporary blocking of oxygen to the heart resulting in heart attack.
What major systems of the body are involved in the effect of cardiovascular reactivity on heart disease?
Cardiovascular and nervous systems
What are three sources of stress that have been linked to heart disease?
Job stress, low SES, negative emotionality, imbalance between control and life demands, social instability
Hostility has received a great deal of attention for its role in heart disease. Describe the sources of hostility and when would be a good time to intervene in this development.
Hostility seems to develop in childhood and may result from insecurity about self. Hostility may be partially a result of genetic influences and abusive or punitive parenting as well as conflicted early environments. It makes most sense to intervene early before these risk factors can develop into a hostile orientation in the child.
Type 1 diabetes
Typically genetic
Affects 5-15% of Americans
Typically 1st diagnosed in late childhood or adolescence
Failure of pancreas to produce sufficient insulin
Can lead to hypertension, heart disease, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, neuropathy, amputations, and blindness
Insulin
Hormone secreted by the pancreas that is used to convert the sugars and starches form food to usable energy for the body
Type 2 diabetes
Disorder of lifestyle
Onset in adulthood or late adolescents
Over 90% of diabetes
Pancreas may not produce enough insulin or body may be insensitive to insulin
Rates have increased dramatically in recent decades
Obesity is strong risk factor
Treatment adherence especially difficult for adolescents and children
Why is obesity a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes?
Possibly due to the greater number of fat cells within obese people. Fat cells may be more resistant to insulin than muscle cells, making insulin generally less effective in obese individuals than those with healthy weights.
Barriers to effective treatment of diabetes
Changing eating and exercise habits
Treatment adherence
Low SES, harder to find and afford healthy food
Prediabetes
Presence of elevated blood glucose levels that have not yet risen so high as to meet diagnostic criteria for diabetes
Critical moment for intervention efforts
