Drugs Flashcards
What are drugs?
Substances that control or change your body or mind
What are performance enhancing drugs?
Drugs that make you better at sport, which increase muscle size or heart rate etc. but can have negative health effects, so some are banned
What are reasons for performance enhancing drugs?
It’s the athlete’s own decision and sport isn’t fair anyway
What are reasons against performance enhancing drugs?
It makes the sport unfair and the athletes may not be fully aware of the health risks
What do statins do?
Lower the risk of heart and circulatory diseases and lower cholesterol
What are the stages in drug testing?
- Testing on human tissues and cells in the lab
- Testing on live animals
- Testing on human volunteers in a clinical trial
How is a clinical trial kept fair?
One half normally get a placebo and the other get the drug but they don’t know which they’re getting
What was thalidomide intended for and what was is found to relieve?
It was intended as a sleeping pill and found to relieve morning sickness
What was the problem with thalidomide?
It hadn’t been tested properly so it affected the fetus causing abnormal limbs and killing over half of the babies, so it was banned and more rigorous testing introduced
What has thalidomide been found to cure?
Leprosy
What are recreational drugs?
Drugs used for fun, that can be legal like alcohol or illegal like cannabis
Why do people use recreational drugs?
To relieve stress and relax or for inspiration
Why is cannabis so dangerous?
It is a stepping stone to other drugs and brings people into contact with drug dealers
How does smoking affect the body?
It can cause heart, lung and blood vessel diseases, cancer and the nicotine is very addictive
How does alcohol affect the body?
It affects the nervous system and slows down the body’s reactions so you have poor coordination and impaired judgement, and excessive drinking can cause liver disease and brain damage, and alcohol is addictive
