Chapter 19 Lesson 1: The Role of Medicines (Hannah Miller p.6)

1. preventing disease

   Nota:

   • Vaccines: A preparation that prevents a person from contracting a specific disease Antitoxins: Fight bacteria that produce substances toxic to the body
2. Fighting Pathogens

   Nota:

   • Antibiotics: a class of drug that destroy disease-causing microorganisms called bacteria. They kill harmful bacteria in the body or by preventing bacteria from reproducing.
   • Antivirals: Suppress the virus, but don't kill it. Antifungals: Suppress of kill fungus cells, such as athlete's foot and ringworm.

Nota:

• Analgesics: pain relievers Aspirin relieves pain and reduces fevers Narcotics: Types of medicines that relieve and can be addictive

Nota:

• Allergy medicines: Antihistamines reduce allergy symptoms like sneezing, watery eyes, etc. and block chemicals released by the immune system that cause an allergic response.
• Body Regulating Medicines: Diabetics use insulin, which regulates the amount of sugar in the bloodstream. Asthma sufferers may take medicines that control symptoms and prevent attacks. Cardiovascular medicines regulate blood pressure, normalize heartbeats, etc.
• Antidepressant & Antipsychotic Medicines: Regulate brain chemistry, stable moods, helps people with mental illnesses.
• Cancer Treatment Medicines: Reduces rapid cell growth to help stop the spread of cancer cells. Chemotherapy kills uses chemicals to kill fast-growing cancer cells. Immunotherapy uses the body's immune system to fight cancer cells. 

1. Oral medicines

   Nota:

   • Tablets, capsules, or liquids taken by mouth. Pass from the digestive system into the bloodstream.
2. topical medicines

   Nota:

   • Applied to the skin. 
3. Inhaled Medicines

   Nota:

   • Delivered in a fine mist or powder. (asthma medicines)
4. Injected medicines

   Nota:

   • Delivered through a shot and they go directly into the bloodstream.

1. Side effects

   Nota:

   • Reactions to medicine other than the one intended. (drowsiness, or can be as extreme as death).
2. Medicine interactions
   1. Additive interaction

      Nota:

      • medicines work together in a positive way
   2. Synergistic Effect

      Nota:

      • The interaction of two or more medicines that results in a greater effect than when each medicine is taken alone.
   3. Antagonistic Effect

      Nota:

      • The effect of one medicine is canceled or reduced when taken with another medicine.
3. Tolerance and Withdrawal
   1. Tolerance

      Nota:

      • The body becomes used to the effect of a medicine. Requires more medicine to produce the same effect as before.
   2. Withdrawal

      Nota:

      • A person stops using a medicine on which he or she has become physiologically dependent. Symptoms: nervousness, insomnia, vomiting, severe headaches, chills, and cramps. They gradually ease in time.