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Drugs of Abuse Flashcards

(56 cards)

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1
Q

What are abused substances?

A

Substances taken repeatedly that interfere with daily life / wellbeing

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2
Q

What are the main classes of abused drugs (5)

A

Sedatives
Opioids
Stimulants
Hallucinogens
Cannabinoids

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3
Q

What do most addictive substances have in common?

A

They increase dopamine in the limbic system

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4
Q

What are the psychological components of drug dependency?

A

Drug seeking behavior

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5
Q

What are the physiological effects of drug dependency

A

Quitting produces symptoms opposite of sought-after effects (withdrawal)

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6
Q

What percentage of Canadians consume alcohol and what % are high-risk drinkers?

A

76% have drank in the past year

44% are high risk

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7
Q

What % of Canadians use cannabis?

A

21%

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8
Q

Cannabis and alcohol use is higher in ____ than _____

A

Higher usage of alcohol and weed in men

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9
Q

What are the 3 steps to the therapeutic approach to drug abuse?

A
  1. tread the acute overdose
  2. Manage the withdrawal symptoms
  3. Long-term rehabilitation
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10
Q

Sedatives include drugs such as… (3)

A

Ethanol, barbiturates, benzodiazepines

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11
Q

What are the symptoms of sedative withdrawl?

A

Tremors, anxiety, vomiting, sweating, perceptual distortion

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12
Q

Withdrawal often occurs from which 2 sedative types?

A

Ethanol and barbituates

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13
Q

How do doctors manage sedative withdrawal symptoms?

A

Clonidine - helps with autonomic withdrawal symptoms

Benzodiazepines - helps with ethanol withdrawal

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14
Q

You can develop a tolerance to sedatives but not their…

A

Cant become tolerant to sedative respiratory depressant effects

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15
Q

What causes alcohol tolerance?

A

The Microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS) plays a role in ethanol metabolism

Ethanol -> acetaldehyde

Chronic alcohol use increases the rate that MEOS can breakdown ethanol requiring more alcohol in system for desired effects

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16
Q

What are opioids?

A

Drugs that offer a rush followed by a euphoric feeling and then sleepiness.

All come from the opium poppy

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17
Q

What are examples of opioids?

A

Morphine and heroin

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18
Q

What is the mechanism of action of opioids?

A

They interact with the opioid receptor (mu) which is linked to G-protein

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19
Q

What is the presynaptic effect of opioids?

A

They reduce presynaptic Ca+2

This reduces neurotransmitter release

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20
Q

What is the postsynaptic effect of opioids?

A

They increase potassium levels

This inhibits postsynaptic neurons

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21
Q

Tolerance of opioids is often built through…

A

pharmacokinetic changes and pharmacodynamic changes to the user

ex. increased metabolism and receptor sensitivity

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22
Q

Opioids are more addictive when taken…

A

for recreational use over analgesic use

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23
Q

The effects of heroin last ___ meaning…

Study These Flashcards
A

heroin lasts 3-5 hours meaning several doses are needed to prevent withdrawals

24
Q

Heroin comes in many formulations, this is dangerous because…

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A

Different forms have different potencies (overdose risk is high)

25
What are the 3 methods of administering heroin?
Inhalation Sub-cutaneous IV
26
What are the symptoms of heroin overdose? (3)
Respiratory depression Coma Death
27
What is an opioid receptor antagonist?
Naloxone
28
What are some medications used as opioid detoxifiers?
Methadone - an oral long-acting mu antagonist Clonidine - helps with autonomic symptoms of withdrawal
29
What are some examples of stimulants?
Amphetamine and cocaine
30
Stimulants are ____ addictive and very _____
Stimulants are highly addictive and very dangerous
31
Amphetamines ____ the release of dopamine, serotonin and NE
Amphetamines increase the release of dopamine serotonin and NE
32
Cocaine reduces the ____ of dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine
Cocaine reduces the reuptake of NE, Dopamine, and serotonin
33
How is tolerance for stimulants developed?
Likely due to dopamine receptor sensitivity
34
What are the desired effects of stimulants?
Alertness and euphoria
35
What are the adverse effects of stimulants?
Psychosis, delusions, excess sympathomimetic activity
36
What are the overdose effects of stimulants
Intracranial hemorrhage, seizures, arrhythmia, heart attack, hyperthermia, coma and death
37
Amphetamines are _____ than cocaine
often less commonly fatal
38
What are 2 commonly abused hallucinogens?
LSD and PCP
39
What is the technical term for LSD?
Lysergic acid diethylamide
40
What is the technical term for PCP
phencyclidine
41
What is the method of action for LSD?
Agonist for several 5-HT receptors most are partial or complete agonists of 5-HT2a receptor
42
What is the method of action of PCP?
It is an NMDA receptor antagonist
43
Is there tolerance and dependency with hallucinogens?
Tolerance is very short term and dependency is very rare
44
What are the desired effects of hallucinogens
Visual illusions and perceptual distortions
45
What are the adverse effects of hallucinogens?
Panic attacks, psychosis, flash-backs, SNS symptoms
46
Is it possible to overdose on LSD?
the therapeutic index is very large so it would be really hard to
47
Is it possible to overdose on PCP?
yes, possible and easy due to its low therapeutic index
48
What are 2 common names for cannabinoids?
Marijuana and hashish
49
What is the psychoactive component of cannabinoids?
THC "tetrahydrocannabinol"
50
What is the method of action for cannabinoids?
Cannabinoid receptors -> linked to Gprotein -> inhibit GABA or glutamate release
51
What are the 2 cannabinoid receptors?
CB1 - Central nervous system CB2 - Peripheral nervous system
52
What are the initial effects of cannabinoid use?
Initial effects: euphoria, laughter, altered sense of time
53
What are the secondary effects of cannabinoids?
Relaxation, introspection, sleepiness
54
What are some of the "negative" effects of cannabinoids?
Impaired cognition, impaired reaction time potential paranoia, anxiety, and hallucinations
55
What are the negative results of cannabinoid use?
Bronchitis and lung cancer
56
What are the therapeutic uses of marijuana?
Decreased pain, nausea, and vomiting in cancer patients Increased appetite in aids patients

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