Medicine and Drugs: Types of Drugs Flashcards
What is a drug?
a substance which alters the way in which your body works
What is addiction?
when drugs change the chemical processes in the body that you become dependent on them and suffer withdrawal symptoms without them
Types of withdrawal symptoms
- cravings
- sweat
- pain
Types of drugs
- medicinal drugs
- recreational drugs
- performance - enhancing drugs
What are recreational drugs?
- drugs which are used for pleasure
- can be legal or illegal
Legal Drugs
- caffeine
- nicotine
- alcohol
Risks of caffeine
- stimulates brain
- increases heart rate
Risks of Nicotine
- excessive smoking leads to lung cancer
- heart disease
Risks of Alcohol
- affects CNS - slows down body’s reactions
- excessive leads to liver and brain damage
Types of Illegal Drugs
- soft drugs: cannabis
- hard drugs: heroine/ cocaine /ecstasy
Risks of Illegal Drugs
- adverse effects on heart and circulatory system
Effects of Cannabis
- contains chemicals wich cause mental health problems
- brings cannabis users into contact with hard drugs
Are illegal drugs more dangerous than legal drugs?
No - more people use legal drugs so have a greater impact on health than illegal drugs
Types of Performance-enhancing Drugs
- anabolic steroids
- blood doping
- diuretics
- analgesics
- stimulants
Effect of Anabolic Steroids
increase muscle mass
