Concetti Chiave
- Drug misuse refers to using medicine contrary to medical or manufacturer recommendations, unlike drug use which follows intended purposes and prescriptions.
- Withdrawal symptoms occur when a patient who's physically dependent on a drug stops taking it, leading to psychological and/or physiological reactions.
- Stimulants, or "uppers," enhance central nervous system activity, boosting alertness or combating fatigue, while depressants have the opposite effect.
- Potentiation occurs when two drugs are taken together and one enhances the effect of the other, leading to intensified drug action.
- Hypersensitivity is an allergic reaction to a drug that can occur upon first exposure or after prolonged use, affecting some drug handlers like nurses and pharmacists.
Definitions of drug use and abuse
Drug use: the use of a substance for its intended purpose and according to prescription
• Drug misuse: use of medicine in a way not recommended by a doctor or the manufacturer
• Tolerance: when a subject’s reaction to a psychoactive drug decreases so larger doses are required to achieve the same effect
• Addiction: chronic pathological condition characterized by compulsive drug-seeking and abuse and by long-lasting chemical changes in the brain
Withdrawal symptoms and stimulants
• Withdrawal symptoms: psychological and/or physiological reactions that occur when a patient has become physically dependent on a drug and suddenly stops taking it
Stimulants: (“uppers” in slang) a group of drugs that tend to stimulate the central nervous system to increase or maintain alertness or counteract fatigue
• Depressants: (“downers” in slang) chemical agents that diminish the function or activity of a specific part of the body to induce a drowsy or calm feeling in patients
• Cross tolerance and cross dependence: the tendency for a person affected by tolerance or dependence to a drug in a certain classification or category to develop it to another drug in the same or a similar classification or category
Enhancement and antagonism effects
• Potentiation: two drugs are taken together and one intensifies the action of the other
Additive effect: two or more drugs are taken at the same time and the combination results in the desired maximum response
• Antagonism: two drugs given together have the opposite effect on the body
• Hypersensitivity: allergic reaction that sometimes occurs after the first time the patient is exposed to a drug or after years of taking it; it sometimes affects professionals who handle drugs (ex. nurses, pharmacists and veterinarians)
• Side/adverse effects: an effect of a drug other than the one for which it was administered; it may or may not depend on the purpose of administration
Domande da interrogazione
- What is the difference between drug use and drug misuse?
Drug use refers to using a substance for its intended purpose and according to prescription, while drug misuse involves using medicine in a way not recommended by a doctor or the manufacturer.
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