Understanding Drugs and Medicines

1. Chapter 9 Understanding Drugs and Medicines

2. ANSWERS • FALSE—minor side effects of over-the-counter medicines are common. • TRUE • TRUE • TRUE • TRUE • FALSE—all drugs, despite their source, are made of chemicals • FALSE—people can become addicted (physically and/or psychologically to prescription drugs such as painkillers.

3. Chapter 9 Understanding Drugs and Medicines Contents • Section 1Drugs • Section 2Drugs as Medicines • Section 3Drugs and the Brain

4. Chapter 9 Section 1 Drugs

5. Section1 Drugs Chapter 9 VOCAB: DRUGS: any substance that changes a person’s physical or psychological state. MEDICINES: drugs used to cure, prevent, or treat illness or discomfort. Good medicines have the following qualities: • Effectiveness • Safety • Minor side effects

6. Section1 Drugs Chapter 9 VOCAB: • DRUGS OF ABUSE: • Taken for their mind-altering effects • No medical purpose/benefit • Can change the way your brain works in ways that are unhealthy and dangerous • Can change your behavior over time and lead to addiction and long-term health problems

7. Section1 Drugs Chapter 9 What Are Drugs? • All drugs are chemicals. • All drugs come from one of two sources: • Naturals sources, such as plants, animals, or fungi • Man-made in Laboratories

8. Section1 Drugs Chapter 9 Types of Medicines • A prescription is a written order from a doctor for a specific medicine. • Over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be bought without a prescription.

9. Drugs can be taken into the body in the following ways: • Implanted pumps • Inhalation • Injection • Transdermal patches • Ingestion • Topical application

10. Chapter 9 Section 2 Drugs as Medicines

13. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Approving Drugs for Medical Use • The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) was created by the federal government to control the safety of food, drugs, and cosmetics in the United States. • The FDA uses an approval process for proving a drug is safe and effective. Some steps include: • Chemical or cell-culture testing in laboratories • Testing on animals • Testing on human volunteers • Clinical trials to compare to existing drugs

14. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Prescription Medicines (abbreviated: Rx) • Should only be taken with a doctor’s recommendation and supervision. • Taking someone else’s medication or failing to follow the prescription can be dangerous. • Can be illegal to possess certain medications without a prescription.

15. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Prescription Medicines • Prescriptions include the following information: • Dosage (how much you should take) • When you should take the medicine • How often you should take the medicine • The length of time you should take the medicine

16. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medicines • Most OTC medicines are used for common illnesses, injuries, and disorders. • When choosing an OTC: • Decide what kind of OTC will work for you. • Decide whether you want a generic or brand-name medicine. They often have the same active ingredients but different inactive ingredients. • Read the labels. • Long-term use of OTC medicines can cover up more serious problems. • If symptoms persist, consult a doctor.

18. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Herbal remedies and dietary supplements • Do not have to be approved by the FDA. • May be ineffective or dangerous

19. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Side Effects of Medicines • Allergic reactionsare the most serious risks to taking medicines. • Symptoms of anaphylactic shock include: • Itching all over the body • Swelling, especially in the mouth or throat • Wheezing or difficulty breathing • Pounding heartbeat • Fainting and unconsciousness • Possible death

20. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Side Effects of Medicines • All medicines have potential side effects. • Drug interactions / reactions • MULTIPLIER EFFECT (increase or decrease the effect of one of the substances • occur when a drug reacts with another drug, food, or dietary supplement • Labels on OTC packages describe possible drug interactions and potential side effects.

21. Section2 Drugs as Medicines Chapter 9 Using Medicines Wisely • ASK YOUR DOCTOR QUESTIONS! • Make yourself part of your own healthcare team. • Learn the facts about any medicine you take. • Listen to your body. • It’s not always safe to suddenly stop taking a drug. • Speak up and enlist your parents’ help.

22. Chapter 9 Section 3 Drugs and the Brain

23. Section3 Drugs and the Brain Chapter 9 How Drugs Affect the Brain • Information processing in the brain takes place at the connections between neurons, calledsynapses • Signals are passed across synapses by chemicals calledneurotransmitters • Some drugs affect the way neurons communicate by: • acting like neurotransmitters • blocking neurotransmitters • changing the amount of neurotransmitters • These changes can affect our moods and emotions

25. Section3 Drugs and the Brain Chapter 9 The Path to Addiction • ADDICTION: a condition in which a person can no longer control his or her drug use. • Most drugs of abuse activate the BRAIN REWARD SYSTEM, which releases chemicals that give pleasure. • Pleasure alone does not cause addiction • People who become addicts usually start by experimenting, then more regular use leads to a series of changes on the path to addiction.

27. Section3 Drugs and the Brain Chapter 9 Addiction is a Treatable Disease • WITHDRAWAL: the symptoms that occur when a drug user stops using a drug. • Stopping drug use can be very difficult because the withdrawal symptoms are often very unpleasant. • Drug addiction is a brain disorder, and it is treatable. • Most communities offer a variety of treatment programs. • The best way to avoid addiction is to avoid drugs of abuse altogether.

28. End of Chapter 9