Unit 1: 3 - Medicine and Drugs Flashcards
Give the order in which a new treatment gets to commercial use.
- Laboratory testing on cells and tissue cultures;
- Animal testing (usually rodents then monkeys);
- Healthy human volunteers (often paid);
- Patients.
What is a placebo and why are they used?
Placebos are fake tablets which do not contain the drug (which are similar in look, taste and consistency). This is to ensure that the trug being tested really does have an effect on the patient, rather than the psychological placebo effect.
What is a double-blind trial.
Neither the doctor nor the patient know who is given the drug.
What was thalidomide originally developed as?
A sleeping pill.
Why was thalidomide so destructive?
Doctors realised it could be used to treat morning sickness in pregnant women, but it had not been tested.
What were the effects of pregnant women taking thalidomide?
The child often had severe limb deformities.
What is a more modern use for thalidomide?
To treat leprosy.
What do statins do?
They lower the amount of ‘bad’ cholesterol in the blood. They have reduced cardiovascular disease in the population by 40%.
What is St. John’s Wort and what does it do?
It is a herbal medicine, and is sometimes used to treat depression instead of anti-depressants such as Prozac.
What are withdrawal symptoms?
Symptoms that occur by stopping taking addictive drugs, as your body has become used to only functioning properly with these drugs in your body.
What long-term symptom does cannabis cause?
It can cause mental illness.
What risk does smoking cannabis carry in teenagers?
It increases the risk of depression.
What do nearly all heroin users have in common?
Nearly all heroin users previously smoked cannabis.
What do steroids do?
Build up muscle mass.
Why are strong painkillers banned in athletes?
Because the athlete may ignore an injury and suffer further damage.
