Download Understanding Drugs and Medications

Understanding Drugs and
Medications
What are drugs?
Where do drugs come from?
What are the different kinds of drugs and medicines?
How do they enter the body?
How do you read a prescription and properly use medications?
What are drugs?
A substance that causes a change in
a person’s physical or psychological
state
Where do drugs come from?
• Natural sources- plants, animals and fungi
• Chemical laboratory
What are the different kinds of drugs?
•
•
•
•
Medicines: antibiotics, pain killers
Drugs legal for everyone: caffeine
Drugs legal for adults: alcohol, tobacco
Illegal drugs: marijuana, cocaine, heroin
Where do you get drugs?
1. Rx- prescription: a written order from a
doctor for a specific medicine
2. OTC- over the counter, bought without a
prescription at any store
3. Illegally on the street
Drugs used as medicines: What are
the criteria for using them?
• Any drug that is used to cure, prevent or treat
illness or discomfort
• Effective: good at carrying out its intended
purpose
• Safety: does minimal or small damage or side
effect
• Side effect: a reaction to the body caused by a
drug effect that was not intended
How do drugs enter the body?
1. Inhalation: absorbed through the blood vessels in the
lungs
2. Ingestion: swallowed and absorbed through the blood
vessels in the intestines
3. Injection: injected directly into the blood stream by a
needle
4. Implanted pump: surgically implanted pump injects
directly into the blood stream
5. Topical application: absorbed through the skin
6. Transdermal patch: packaged into a patch and placed
on a specific part of the skin
How does a drug become legal?
• The FDA Food and Drug Administration was created in
1906 to control the safety of drugs used in the US
• To develop a new drug for use on the market for Rx or
OTC usage the following protocol must be used
• Testing of the new drug in 5 phases
1. Lab cultures
2. Animals
3. Human volunteers
4. Clinical trials
5. Approval by FDA
What information is on the label of a
prescription?
• Very important to follow the directions and
know your medication
• Dose: How much should you take? Measured
amount or pills
• When: AM, PM, after/before food, etc…
• How often: 1x, 2x, daily every 6 hours, etc…
• Length of Time: days/ weeks/ months
• Expiration date: when the drug should be used
by
What information is on the label of a
prescription? Continued
• Side Effects: what symptoms are caused that are not
desired
• Drug/Food Interactions: restrictions that you may have
to avoid certain types of food/drugs while taking the
medication
• RX number
Date Rx was filled
• Name of medication
# of Refills
• Name of patient
• Pharmacy’s name and address
• Pharmacist who filled the Rx
• Directions from the Doctor
What is America’s most popular drug?
• Caffeine is a stimulant
• 80-90% of American’s consume some form of
caffeine
• Coffee, tea, cocoa, chocolate, soda
• Addictive drug
• Disrupts the normal working brain chemical
adenosine, which induces sleep
• When you consume caffeine it helps you stay
alert or awake
What are the types of medicines?
Classification
Effect on the body
Analgesic
Relieve pain
Antihistamine
Relieve minor allergy symptoms
Antacid
Neutralize stomach acid
Antibiotic
Kills bacteria or infection
Anti anxiety
Calm down nerves
Bronchodilator
Open airway
What are the types of medicines?
Classification
Effect on the body
Hormone
Replacement therapy
Stimulant
Increase alertness, focus
Steroid
Reduce inflammation
Sedative
Cause sleepiness
Vaccine
Prevent infection
America’s most Popular Drug
•The coffee industry accounts for over 10 billion dollars a year
•The soft drink industry accounts for over 50 billion dollars a year