W4L2: Substance Use Disorders Part I Flashcards
Alcohol Overview
enters bloodstream through small intestine, metabolized by liver
effects vary by BAC (affected by gender, height, weight, live efficiency)
affects brain areas that make decisions and monitor errors
people with high response to alcohol are most likely to develop problems
Biphasic Effect
when BAC is rising, stimulant
when BAC is falling, sedative
Short-Term Alcohol Effects
impaired speech and vision interference in complex thought processes poor coordination loss of balance depression and withdrawal stimulates GABA stimulates endogenous opioids increased dopamine and serotonin inhibits glutamate receptors
Long Term Alcohol Effects
malnutrition (empty calories, interferes with digestion and absorption) B-vitamin deficiency (amnestic syndrome) cirrhosis of liver (disease) endocrine gland and pancreas damage heart failure erectile dysfunction hypertension stroke capillary hemorrhages destruction of brain cells (especially memory)
Alcohol Use Disorder Prevalence
20% for men, 8% for women
17% abuse, 12% dependence
Binge Drinking
5 drinks for men, 4 for women in short period
43.5% prevalence among college students
Heavy Drinking
14+ per week for males
7+ per week for females
Substance Use Disorder
problematic pattern of alcohol use leading to clinically significant impairment or distressed market by at least two of these in a year:
drug use in larger amounts/longer periods than intended
persistent desire/unsuccessful effort to control/reduce
lots of time spent in activities necessary to obtain, use, or recover from drug
craving or strong desire or urge to use drug
failure to fulfill major role due to drug
continued use despite social/interpersonal problems caused/exacerbated by drug
important social, occupation activities given up or reduces because of drug use
recurrent use in hazardous situations
continued use despite physical or psychological problems caused/exacerbated by drug use
tolerance
withdrawal
mild: 2-3 symptoms
moderate: 4-5
severe: 6+
Nicotine
addicting agent of tobacco
targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
stimulates dopamine neurons in mesolithic ara (reinforcing affect)
withdrawal causes irritation and irritability
Prevalence of Smoking
440,000 American die prematurely from smoking each year
Cigarettes kill 1,100 people/day
lung cancer is most common cancer
decreases in smoking over past 30 years, remaining smokers are hard to treat
cigarettes cause/exacerbate other health issues
Brain Effect of Marijuana
affects two cannabinoid brain receptors (high concentration in hippocampus)
increased blood flow to emotional regions (amygdala, anterior cingulate gyrus)
decreased flood flow to temporal lobe (poor performance on listening tasks and tension) affects executive function
habitual use leads to tolerance
Psychological Effects of Marijuana
feelings of relaxation and sociability
rapid shifts of emotion
interferes with attention, memory, and thinking (decline in IQ over time)
heavy doses can induce hallucination and panic
impairment of skills needed for driving, even after high is gone
Physiological Effects of Marijuana
bloodshot and itchy eyes dry mouth and throat increased appetite reduced pressure within the eye increased blood pressure abnormal heart rate damage to lung structure in long term
Opiates
opium, morphine, heroin, codeine
legally prescribed pain meds: vicodin, zydone, lortab
oxycodone is bait for oxycontin, percodan, and tylox
many start with prescription opiates, then illicit drugs
Heroin
estimated one million in US addicted to heroin, rates of use increased
heroin now more pure, overdose more likely
