Chapter 7 Substance Abuse

Question 1

Designer drugs

Answer 1

Created in illegal laboratories solely for making money in illegal drug trafficking

Question 2

Addiction

Answer 2

The progressive and chronic abuse of a substance. Addiction depends on multiple, complex, and interacting variables

• agent or drug of abuse
• user factors
• environment

Question 3

Substance dependence

Answer 3

When a person has an overwhelming desire to take a drug and cannot stop.

Question 4

Physical dependence

Answer 4

• An altered physical condition
• nervous system adapts to repeated substance use
• withdrawal syndrome when agent is stopped
• examples of substances
• opioids- morphine and heroin
• alcohol
• sedatives
• some stimulants
• nicotine

Question 5

Withdrawal syndrome

Answer 5

Uncomfortable symptoms that occur when the agent is stopped.

Question 6

Psychological dependence

Answer 6

Causes no apparent signs of physical discomfort when the agent is stopped, just an intense craving and overwhelming desire to keep using.

• Cravings continue for months, or even years
• occurs after using high doses of a substance over a long period of time
• ex. Marijuana and antianxiety drugs
• may develop quickly after one use, like crack

Question 7

Alcohol

Answer 7

Withdrawal Symptoms: tremors, fatigue, anxiety, abdominal cramping, hallucinations, confusion, seizures, delirium.

Withdrawal from alcohol

• substance abuse treatment facility
• treated with short-acting benzodiazepines
• oxazepam (serax)

Question 8

Cocaine and amphetamines

Answer 8

Mental depression, anxiety, extreme fatigue, hunger

Question 8

Nicotine

Answer 8

Withdrawal Symptoms: irritability, anxiety, restlessness, headaches, increased appetite, insomnia, inability to concentrate, decreased heart rate and blood pressure

Withdrawal treated by:
Nicotine replacement therapy
Nicotine patches or chewing gum
Buproprion (wellbutrin)

Question 8

Tolerance

Answer 8

Biological condition that occurs when the body adapts to a substance after its repeatedly administered.

Question 8

Cross-tolerance

Answer 8

Once tolerance develops to one substance, it often also occurs with use of closely related drugs.

Question 8

Sedatives

Answer 8

Includes: barbiturates, non-barbiturates, sedative-hypnotics, and benzodiazepines, CNS depressants, most legal but controlled substances

Withdrawal Symptoms: insomnia, anxiety, weakness, abdominal cramps, tremor, anorexia, seizures, hallucinations, delirium

Question 9

Four commonly abused barbiturates

Answer 9

Pentobarbital (nembutal), amobarbital (amytal), secobarbital (seconal), and a combination of secobarbital and amobarbital (tuinal)

Question 9

Benzodiazepines

Answer 9

Used for anxiety and short treatment of seizures. Include: Alprazolam (xanax), diazepam (valium), temazepam (restoril), triazolam (halcion), and midazolam (versed)

If abused combined with alcohol, cocaine, or heroine for increased drug experience

Withdrawal Symptoms: insomnia, restlessness, abdominal pain, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound, headache, fatigue, muscle twitches.

Question 10

Opioids

Answer 10

Prescribed for severe pain, persistent cough, and diarrhea, includes: opium, morphine, and codeine (processed from natural substances found in unripe seeds of the poppy plant) synthetic drugs include: propoxyphene (darvon), hydromorphone (dilauded), oxycodone (oxycontin),fentanyl (duragesic, sublimaze), methadone ( dolophine), and heroin.

Symptoms: excessive sweating, restlessness, dilated pupils, agitation, goosebumps, tremor, violent yawning, increased heart rate and blood pressure, nausea/vomiting, abdominal cramps and pain, muscle spasms with kicking movements, weight loss

Withdrawal treated with methadone

Question 11

Alcohol intoxication

Answer 11

Occurs when muscle coordination is lost and mental function is affected.

Question 12

Disulfiram (antabuse)

Answer 12

May be given to alcoholics to discourage relapses. If taken. With alcohol, pt becomes violently ill within 5-10 min. Only effective in highly motivated pts.

Question 13

Acamprosate calcium (campral, forest)

Answer 13

FDA approved drug for maintaining alcohol abstinence in pts with alcohol dependence.

Question 14

Marijuana

Answer 14

Cannabinoids come from the hemp plant cannabis sativa. Known as marijuana, hashish, and hash oil. The ingredient responsible for most of the psychoactive properties is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Withdrawal Symptoms: irritability, restlessness, insomnia, tremor, chills, weight loss

Question 15

Hallucinogens

Answer 15

Also called psychedelics prototype substance for this class is LSD. All hallucinogens are schedule I drugs and have no medical use.  Examples of hallucinogens: 
Psilocybin (magic, mushroom, shrooms), mescaline, MDMA ( XTC, ecstasy), DOM (STP), MDA (love drug), PCP(angel dust), ketamine (date rape drug, special coke)

Withdrawal symptoms: different in every user such as; laughter, visions, religious revelations, deep personal insights. Common are hallucinations and afterimages, bright lights, vivid colors

Question 16

Narcolepsy

Answer 16

Sleep disorder where people fall asleep unexpectedly.

Question 17

CNS stimulants

Answer 17

• Increase awareness and wakefulness
• activate neurons in the reticular formation of the brain
• substance abusers obtain CNS stimulants from illegal laboratories
  Schedule I - methcathinone (cat)
  Schedule II - amphetamines, methamphetamine (ice, crack)
  Methylphenidate, cocaine