Glossary Flashcards
Accommodation Reflex
The adjustment of the eyes for viewing at various distances. Pupils will constrict as objects move closer and dilate as objects move farther away.
Addiction
Habitual, Psychological, physiological dependence on a substance beyond one’s voluntary control.
Additive Effect
2 drugs produce an additive effect if the indicator the same way. HGN + HGN = Lots of HGN
Alkaloid
A chemical that is found in, and can be physically extracted from some substance.
Analgesic
A drug that relieves or allays pain
Analog (of a drug)
A chemical that is very similar to the drug, both in terms of molecular structure and in terms of psychoactive effects. For example, the drug ketamine is an analog of PCP.
Anesthetic
A drug that produces a general or local insensibility to pain and other sensation.
Antagonistic Effect
When 2 drugs produce this effect if they affect the indicator in opposite ways. A narcotic analgesic constricts pupils while a CNS Stimulant dilates pupils. Depending on how much of each drug was taken and the time they were consumed, the suspects pupils could be constricted, dilated or within the DRE average range.
Arrhythmia
An abnormal heart rate
Artery
The strong, elastic blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart
Autonomic Nerve
A motor nerve that carries messages to the muscles and organs that we do not consciously control. 2 kinds of these nerves include sympathetic and parasympathetic.
Axon
The part of a neuron (Nerve cell) that sends out a neurotransmitter.
BAC
Blood Alcohol Concentration - the percentage of alcohol in a person’s blood
BrAC
Breath Alcohol Concentration -The percentage of alcohol in a person’s blood as measured by a breath testing device.
Blood Pressure
The force exerted by blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure changes continuously as the heart cycles between contraction and expansion.
Bradycardia
Abnormally slow heart rate
Bradypnea
Abnormally slow rate of breathing
Bruxism
Grinding of the teeth
Cannabis
drug category includes marijuana. Active ingredient is THC ( Delta 9- tetrahydrocannabinol)
Carboxy THC
A metabolite of THC
Cheyne-Stokes Respiration
Abnormal pattern of breathing. Marked by breathlessness and deep, fast breathing.
CNS
Central Nervous System - A system within the body consisting of the BRAIN, the BRAIN STEM, and the SPINAL CORD.
Conjunctivitis
Pink Eye, could be mistaken for bloodshot eyes produced by alcohol or cannabis. It’s an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the inner surface of the eyelids. May be in one eye only.
Convergence
The crossing of the eyes that occurs when a person is able to focus on a stimulus as it is pushed slowly towards the bridge of their nose.