Medicines And Drugs Flashcards
What are drugs?
They are substance that alter the way in which the body works
What do drugs do?
They change the chemical processes in peoples’ bodies so that they may become dependant or addicted to the drug and suffer withdrawal symptoms without them.
What are the uses of drugs
Some drugs are used for medical purposes to that diseases, whilst others are ‘recreational’ drugs, which are used for pleasure
Give a definition of medicines
By understanding how the body works and what causes a disease, we can develop drugs that alter the processes in the body to treat it
What are the four essential that all new drugs are rigorously tested to ensure that they are:
1) Effective-prevent/treat the disease
2) Safe-not poisonous or have to many side affects
3) Stable-can be stored and used under normal conditions
4) Able to be taken in and removed by the body
Who many years may it take for a drug to be developed through all four stages?
Up to 12 years
What is the main type of trial conducted in stage 4?
Double-blind trail-this is when a large group of volunteers with the particular disease are given either the new medicine or a placebo
What is a placebo?
It is something that doesn’t contain the drug
Why is it called a double-blind trail ?
Because neither the patient nor the doctor treating them knows which they have been given
This way the researchers can see a fair indication of if the drug works with or without any bias on the part of the doctor or the patient
Why are the test for new drugs so important?
In case the drug causes any damage
They are tested for toxicity, efficacy and for dose
Give an example of when doctors didn’t follow the test properly
Thalidomide
When was thalidomide developed and what was it’s opposed to help?
1950s as a sleeping pill and then treat morning sickness in pregnant women
What went wrong in thalidomide?
Even though they tested it on adults and seemed to have no side affects it was not tested to see what effects it had on developing babies. Unfortunately, many babies born to mothers who took the drug were born with severe limb abnormalities. The drug was banned.
What was the result of the discovery of the effect Thalidomide had?
The drug was banned
Drug testing has become much more rigorous
More recently, thalidomide has been used successfully in the treatment of leprosy and other diseases
What are statines?
They are a group of drugs that lower the amount of cholesterol in the blood
By stopping the liver from producing these bad cholesterol forms, they can greatly reduce cardiovascular and circulatory diseases
What is cardiovascular disease?
It is when the arteries become narrow
What are the advantages of statins ?
The cholesterol levels are reduced by 50%
The chances of having a stroke or heart attack can be lowered by 25%-40%
What are the disadvantages of statins?
There are possible side affects if liver damage but these are very slight
People may stop trying to eat healthily as they think that the drug will do it all for them
Many modern medicines have been derived from …………….
Natural sources
Is it possible that non-prescribed ‘herbal’ remedies can be used in treating disease?
Yes
Give an examples where a non-prescribed ‘herbal’ medicine has worked to treat a desease?
St. John’s wort is herb that has been shown to be just as effective in treating depression as the modern medicine equivalent (Prozac)
Why should we be cautions when taking non-prescribe medicines?
They might not contain any actual active ingredients, so it may do nothing to help the disease
Their ‘natural ingredients’ may contain dangerous chemicals that actually cause damage
What do recreational drugs affect ?
The nervous system making you relaxed and happy
Give three examples of legal recreational drugs
Caffeine
Nicotine
Alcohol
How does caffeine effect the body?
It stimulates the nervous system making you more alert, energetic and increases heart rate the blood pressure
Give examples where caffeine is found?
Tea, coffee, coca cola and red bull
What type of drug is nicotine and where can it be found?
It is a stimulant and is found in the tobacco within cigarettes
Why is nicotine very bad for your health?
Because it causes cancers (especially lung cancer) and cardiovascular disease.
Smoking whilst pregnant can also lead to a low birth weight of the body and contains carbon monoxide which reduces the ability of the blood to carry oxygen
What type of drug is alcohol?
A depressant
How do depressants effect the body?
It slows down the response in the brain making you calm and relaxed
What are the long term and short term effects of drinking alcohol ?
Long term use can lead to liver damage
It also gives rise to numerous social problems, as impaired judgement can lead to violence and road accidents
Give three illegal drugs
Cocaine, heroin, cannabis
What type of drug is cocaine and what does it do to you?
It is a stimulant making you feel very alert and energetic
What can heroine do and what type of drug is it?
It is a depressant that can actually stop you from feeling any pain or discomfort
What type of drug is canabis/marijuana and what does it cause?
It is a depressant that is illegal in most countries but still widely used
It can cause mental illnesses, such as hallucinations, and has been linked with causing depression and mental illness
What is the main problem associated with drugs?
They make you addicted to them, this occurs because They affect the chemical prosecutor within the body. This is why when you stop taking the drug you suffer from mental or physical withdraw symptoms. Heroin and cocaine are very addictive
Give some examples of withdraw symptoms
Headaches
Aches and pains
Sweating
There are a number of different types of drugs that can be used by athletes and sports people to improve their performance give some examples
Anabolic steroid EPO (erythropoietin) Stimulants Depressants Pain killers
When are anabolic steroids taken and what do they help do?
They are taken during training and can help to build up more muscle mass
What type of athletes are anabolic steroids useful to?
Athletes that require stronger or faster muscles
What is EPO (erythropoietin) and what does it do?
It is a hormone
It increases the red blood cell production
Why EPO (erythropoietin) good for cyclists or long distance runners?
It is good for stamina, as the blood can carry more oxygen to the muscles
What type of EPO (erythropoietin) is banned and what is the ‘although’ to this?
Artificial
Although it can be naturally produced it by training at high altitude
What do stimulants do during performance ?
They are used to sharpen focus and boost reflexes
Are stimulants legal or illegal?
Many are not illegal, but still cannot be used by athletes or sports people
What do depressants do?
They can slow down heart rate and reduce the shaking of the hands
What sport are depressants useful for and what does it then lead to?
They are useful for darts and shooting, so many are also banned from use
When are painkillers taken and what do they allow athletes to do?
They are taken during training or in competitions to allow the athletes to keep going despite an injury
Why may painkillers be dangerous?
They can be dangerous as it often causes further permanent damage
Give four reasons why sports people and athletes still take drugs even though can cause you damage or are illegal ?
- They want to win and think they should do everything they can to be the best
- if others use them, then they feel they have to use them to have a chance of competing
- they feel that any health risks are worth it, as it is their body and they should be able to do what they want with it
- Some claim to be given the drug without their knowledge by their coaches
Which type of drug (legal or illegal) have a greater overall impact on health?
Legal drugs (prescribed and non-prescribed) because far more people use them.
Which has an overall greater effect on health legal or illegal drugs?
Legal drugs because more people use them
What are new drugs tested for?
Toxicity
Efficacy
Dose
When new medical drugs are devised, they have to be extensively tested and trialled before being used. Drugs are tested in a series of strangers to find out it they are safe and effective. What are these stages?
In the laboratory, using cells then tissues and then live animals
Once this is done and perfected, in clinical trails involving healthy volunteers and then patients. Very low doses of the drug are given at the start of the clinical trial. If the drugs found to be safe, further clinical trials are carried out to find the optimum dose of the drug. In some double blind trials, some patients are given a placebo. Neither the doctors nor the patients know who has receives a placebo and who has received the drug until the trial is complete
