Medicine and Drugs Flashcards
What is a double-blind trial?
A drug trial in which neither the patient or doctor know who is recieving the new drug and who is recieving the placebo
What are the stages of testing new drugs?
- Large numbers of substances are tested to see if they might cure a disease of relieve symptoms
- The first tests are in scientific labs on cells and tissues or organs.
- If the drug seems to work it is then tested on animals
- If it is safe to use of animals, it is then tested on healthy human volunteers in very low doses. They are asked to report any side effects.
- Finally, the drug can be given to patients.
What is a placebo?
A substance used in clincal trials which does not contain any drug at all.
Why is it important to test new drugs?
- To find out if they work
- To find the optimum dosage
- To find out if they are toxic
- To find out any potential side effects they may have
What was Thalidomide and how has it impacted the way we now test drugs?
- A drug origionally developed as a sleeping pill. Doctors realised it could control morning sickness in pregnant women.
- However, had not been tested for use during pregnancy/on pregnant women
- Some babies were born with limb abnormalities (limbs didn’t grow/develop properly) as a result of their mothers’ taking it.
- The drug was banned and rules for drug testing were improved.
- More recently it has been used to treat other conditions such as leprosy, but has never been given to pregnant women.
What are statins?
Drugs which lower the blood cholesterol levels and help improve the balance of HDLs to LDLs.
Lower the amount of ‘bad’ cholesterol carried in blood.
Who are statins given to and how often are they taken.
Given to old people to take daily
What effects have statins had on the population?
They have lowered rates of cardiovascular (heart) disease + strokes by 40%
What are sometimes used instead of prescribed medicines?
Herbs/herbal remedies
What can be taken to treat depression?
Prozac (drug) or St John’s Wort (herb)
How could doctors find out if St John’s Wort is more of less effective than Prozac in treating depression?
By conducting a double-blind trial
Why should herbal remedies be tested in a double-blind trial?
To check they work as well as a tested drug, such as Prozac.
What is a drug?
A chemical which causes changes in your body.
Medical drugs cure disease/relieve symptoms, recreational drugs alter your state of mind and/or body
Durgs have been used by…
…indigenous people for a very long time
When we develop new durgs to help people, what do we have to do?
Test them over a long period of time to make sure that there are no serious side effects
What are recreational drugs?
Drugs used by people for pleasure
Give some examples of recreational drugs.
Heroin, cocaine, and cannabis. They are all illegal.
Heroin and cocaine are very addictive
What happens if you stop taking addicitive drugs?
You suffer withdrawal symptoms
What can chemicals in cannabis cause?
Mental health problems
What are withdrawal symptoms?
The symptoms expirienced by a drug addict when they do not get the drug to which they are addicted for a certain period of time.
What can both illegal and legal drugs do?
Harm your body
How are medicinal drugs available?
On prescription from a doctor
What do recreational drugs affect?
The brain and nervous system, and may hav adverse effects on the heart and circulatory system
Why is it easy to become addicted to recreational drugs?
Because they affect the nervous system, particulary the brain. This means they can make you loose control of when you take them/if you want to.
Give some examples of legal and illegal recreational drugs
Nicotine, caffine, and alcohol are legal.
Heroin, cannabis, and cocaine are illegal
Drugs may be…
Legal or illegal
Addictive or non-addictive
Medicinal or recreational
Which has a greater impact on the health of the population: legal or illgal drugs, and why?
Legal drugs because more people take them
What can cannabis cause?
Mental illness
What are teenagers who smoke cannabis at risk of?
Getting depression
What is cannabis?
An illegal drug which must be bought from drug dealers
What are the side effects of buying cannabis from dealers?
It brings users/buyers into contact with hard drugs such as heroin
Does cannabis lead to hard drugs?
Not all cannabis users go on to use hard drugs, but nearly all heroin users have previously smoked cannabis
Why do some athletes take drugs?
To enhance/improve their performance
What are steroids?
Drugs used to build muscle mass and improve performance. Are used by athletes
Why are strong pain killers banned for athletes?
Because they may cause athletes to ignore an injury and suffer further damage
Aside from biological reasons, why else are performance-enhancing drugs unfair?
They are expensive so can only be used by athletes who can afford them.
Some athletes also work hard to build their muscles to become stronger and better. It is not fair that other athletes can cheat by using steroids and not hard work
What are the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs?
They can damage the body permanently and can even lead to death
What do many people think about taking performance-enhancing drugs?
It is unethical.
