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PYB159: Alcohol and Other Drug Studies > Types of drugs, their actions and patterns > Flashcards

Types of drugs, their actions and patterns Flashcards

1
Q

What factors effect drug dependance?

A
  • Person (age, gender, health)
  • Drug (how it’s taken, amount, frequency, duration)
  • Environment (social factors)
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2
Q

Why is intravenous drug use considered more harmful than other routes of administration? (needle into vein)

A
  • Rapid onset effect

- Infections from needles at site/through blood or through sharing

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3
Q

What are Pharmacokinetics?

A
  • what the body does to the drug
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4
Q

How do Pharmacodynamics work?

A
  • what the drug does to the body’
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5
Q

Describe the pharmacokinetic process

A
  • Absorption: via skin, oral (small intestine -> liver -> circulation), smoked (mouth/lung lining -> circulation), IV (direct to circulation)
  • Distribution: organs with high blood flow first (brain), fat, muscles and skin later
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6
Q

What is the most effective drug?

A

Smoking as it goes straight to the lungs

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7
Q

Describe the pharmacodynamics process

A
  • Dependance
  • Drug tolerance (less affect)
  • Withdrawal
  • Cross-dependence (one drug takes place of another to continue dependance)
  • Agonist effect: decrease or inhibition of the action of a neurotransmitter
  • Dopamine - Neurotransmitter related to reward/pleasure
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8
Q

What is the pharmacokinetic half life?

A
  • Time for drug in blood to reduce by 50%

- Short half life/short action more likely to use again sooner

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9
Q

What is pharmacokinetic metabolism?

A
  • mostly via urine, some through lungs
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10
Q

Is it possible to sober someone up?

A

No

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11
Q

What is pharmacodynamics synapses?

A
  • Brain - millions of pathways (nerves) similar to a mass of electrical wires
  • Communication using chemical messages (neurotransmitters)
  • Everything that we think, feel and do are the result of these chemical communications
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12
Q

What do drugs act as?

A
  • Act by mimicking normal neurotransmitters by occupying receptor sites and sending “false” messages
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13
Q

What are the effects of depressants?

A
  • Slows body down

- e.g. Alcohol, heroin

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14
Q

What are the effects of hallucinogens?

A
  • Affect perception

- e.g. LSD, magic mushroom

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15
Q

What are the effects of stimulants?

A
  • Speed body up

- e.g. Nicotine, caffeine, cocaine

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16
Q

What is the leading preventable cause of death and disability in Australia?

A

Tobacco

  • more than illicit and alcohol combined
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17
Q

What happens with small doses of stimulants?

A

increase awareness and concentration, decrease fatigue and amplify positive moods

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18
Q

What happens with larger doses of stimulants?

A

can cause excessive activity, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, delusions and hallucinations (drug-induced psychosis), convulsions, death

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19
Q

What are the properties of nicotine as a stimulant?

A
  • Dopamine agonist = reinforcing
  • Glutamate agonist = stimulant
  • Short term effect, small half-life
  • Highly addictive
  • Improves short term memory
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20
Q

What are the properties of meth as a stimulant?

A
  • Significantly alters levels of dopamine (extreme agonist) and norepinephrine
  • reduced appetite
  • irregular heartbeat
  • high blood pressure
  • psychosis
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21
Q

What happens with small doses of depressants?

A

Relaxation, drowsiness and loss of inhibitions

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22
Q

What happens with larger doses of depressants?

A

Can cause loss of consciousness, respiratory inhibition, and even death

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23
Q

What are the properties of alcohol & benzo as a depressants?

A
  • GABA agonist = reduces overall brain activity
  • Glutamate antagonist = excitatory function reduced (effect of BZD on this system is not clear)
  • benzo has a sedative effect
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24
Q

What are the immediate effects of alcohol as a depressants?

A
  • happy, more relaxed, less concentration, slow reflexes, less inhibited
  • disinhibited, more confidence, less coordination, slurred speech, intense moods
  • confusion, blurred vision, poor muscle control
  • nausea, vomiting, sleep
  • coma or death
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25
Q

What are the long term effects of alcohol as a depressants?

A
  • Nervous system: Brain damage (effects on memory (Korsakoff’s syndrome))
  • Liver: Damaged by alcohol processing (Cirrhosis, Liver Cancer)
  • Withdrawal related risks (Seizures and in worst case death)
  • Other health effects (Heart, Muscles, Pancreas, Sexual organs, Skin, Stomach, Intestines etc…)
  • Emotional/Psychological/Social
26
Q

What effects does cannabis have on the body?

A
  • Binds to cannabinoid receptors
  • Cerebellum = Affects coordination
  • Hippocampus = Affects memory
  • Cerebral cortex = Affects thinking
27
Q

What are the common effects of THC (in cannabis)?

A 
▪ Feeling of intoxication
		▪ Loss of coordination & concentration
		▪ Increased appetite
		▪ Reddened eyes
		▪ Anxiety or panic
		▪ Hallucinations
		▪ Paranoia and confusion
28
Q

What are the long term effects of heavy cannabis use?

A
  • Health Risks = Bronchitis, lung cancer & respiratory disease and lowered sperm count / irregular menstrual cycle
  • Brain function = Loss of concentration, memory & learning abilities
    ‘Amotivational syndrome’ = Loss of interest in activities, loss of energy, boredom, less sex drive
  • Severe psychotic behaviour (Drug-induced psychosis) = Causal link not certain
29
Q

What effects do opioids have on the body?

A
  • Opioid receptors – pain relief (Endorphins)
  • Affects dopamine (reward effects)
  • Pain relief – Physical and Psychological
  • Overdose risk high
  • Feelings of well-being or euphoria
  • Pinpoint pupils
  • Sedation
  • Shallow breathing
  • Nausea and vomiting
30
Q

What are the long term effects of heavy opioid use?

A
  • Health effects: Constipation, Weight loss/malnutrition, Chronic heart/lung conditions, Infertility in women, Irregular periods and Injecting risks
  • Loss of sex drive
  • Dependency
31
Q

What is the biggest risk of opiate use?

32
Q

What effects do Inhalants have on the body?

A
  • Depressants
  • All areas of the body affected
  • Psychological effects (e.g., confusion)
  • Hangovers and headaches can last for several days
33
Q

What are the long term effects of inhalant use?

A
  • Tremors, loss of sense of smell & hearing, problems with blood production, irregular heartbeat & damage to heart muscle, liver & kidney damage
  • Forgetfulness/memory impairment, Inattention/reduced ability to think clearly & logically
  • Irritability, hostility, feeling depressed or feeling persecuted
34
Q

What is Korsakoff Syndrome?

A
  • Caused by brain impairment due to chronic, heavy alcohol consumption severely depleting vitamin B1 (thiamine)
  • Effects the formation of new memory
35
Q

What has medicinal cannabis research found?

A
  • Improvement in seizure disorders, pain management, nausea associated with chemotherapy, and some other conditions
  • risk of psychosis and potential for misuse
36
Q

What effects do Hallucinogens have on the body?

A
  • Distort the brain’s perception of reality
  • Can cause auditory, tactile, or visual hallucinations
  • Include varying degrees of depression or stimulation depending on the substance
37
Q

What are the effects of MDMA?

A
  • affects serotonin

- 6-10hr half life

38
Q

What are the 3 phases of MDMA/Ecstasy?

A

Coming up: Drug starting to take effect (Nausea, increased body temp, heart rate increase, difficulty focusing or make sense of what you are seeing, confusion, or panic)

  • Plateau: Effects levelling off (Heightened sensations, increased energy, confidence, talkativeness, feeling of warmth towards others)
  • Coming down: Effects wearing off (Flat, depressed, exhausted)
39
Q

What are the effects of heavy Ecstasy use?

A

Convulsions, Vomiting, Floating sensations, Irrational or bizarre behaviour & Hallucinations
- brain damage or depression/anxiety

40
Q

Why are emerging psychoactive substances sufficiently different?

A

To avoid detection (metabolites)

41
Q

What drug has the greatest economic cost associated with its use 2004-2005?

42
Q

What is the typical average pattern of illicit drug use over 2001, 2016 and 2019?

A

High in 2001
Decreases in 2016
Increases in 2019 (but not to the level it was in 2001)

43
Q

In the past 12 months, what is the pattern of single drinking occasions for people in their 50s-60s?

A

11 or more standard drinks on a single occasion has increased

44
Q

What age group is most likely to drink more than 5 drinks, 5 days per week?

45
Q

What age group are most likely to reduce drinking?

46
Q

What age group are least likely to reduce drinking?

47
Q

What age group are most likely to use cannabis?

A

In 20s, however this is decreasing

48
Q

What suggests that there is an aging cohort of cannabis users?

A

Highest rate in the last 15 years of recent use among males in their 40s, 50s and over 60

49
Q

What is the trend of recent ecstasy use?

A

use has generally decreased among younger age group (14-29) but remained similar for people over 30

50
Q

What is the trend for cannabis use amongst females in their 30s?

A

Significant increase

51
Q

What age group is the misuse of pharmaceuticals most likely?

52
Q

What is the trend of meth use?

A

declining since it’s peak in 2001

age 20s declining

53
Q

What vulnerable group is more likely to use meth?

A

unemployed people

54
Q

What is the frequency pattern of users generally?

A

those using are using more frequently

- mainly ice and injecting

55
Q

What drugs did the Australian Drug Trends 2020 Preliminary Findings report had increased in price?

A

Crystal meth, heroin and cannabis

56
Q

What trend has been established for amphetamine use?

A
  • Use is declining

- more likely to be present in a drug-induced death

57
Q

Emerging Psychoactive Substances have found what trend in use?

A
  • Increase in lifetime use from 2013-2016 but recent use decreased in 2016 and remained stable
58
Q

Recent use of shared needles for injecting drug users has…

59
Q

What geographical location had the highest rate of abstainers from alcohol in 2016?

A

remote and very remote areas

60
Q

An increase in psychological distress levels was highest for people who..

A

had used ecstasy in last 12 moths then meth

61
Q

What does smoking daily increase to be 2x as likely to have very high levels of?

A

psychological distress

62
Q

What did the National Wastewater Drug Monitoring Program find was the highest consumed substances across all states and territories?

A
  • Nicotine and alcohol (this is decreasing)

- Methylamphetamine continues to be the most prevalent illicit drug tested

PYB159: Alcohol and Other Drug Studies (10 decks)

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