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
