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PHARM 100 > Module 2 - Drug misuse and addiction > Flashcards

Module 2 - Drug misuse and addiction Flashcards

(48 cards)

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1
Q

What is SUD?

A
  1. social impairements
  2. risky use
  3. impaired control
  4. withdrawal
  5. tolerance
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2
Q

Addiction

A

the impaired control associated with SUD manifests as emotional and mental preoccupation with the effects of the drug and by persistent craving for the drug

addiction = a state in which stopping or abruptly reducing the dose of a given drug produces non-physical symptoms

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3
Q

Dopamine hypothesis and addiction

A

2 components:
- effects on the reward systems: commonly misused drug increases dopamine in the reward system of the brain
- dopamine increase: dopaminergic systems are also responsible for natural rewards

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4
Q

Characteristics of addictive drugs

A
  1. increase dopamine
  2. produce novelty
  3. reduce anxiety
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5
Q

Drug withdrawal

A

symptoms are usually the opposite of the effects of the drug

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6
Q

Drug tolerance

A

drug tolerance is expressed as a shortened duration of action and a decreased magnitude to the effect

tolerance does not develop to all drugs, not to all aspects of a drugs action

drug tolerance is reversible upon drug discontinuation

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7
Q

Cross tolerance

A

can occur between pharmacologically similar drugs

defined as the resistance or tolerance to one drug because of the resistance to tolerance to a pharmacologically similar drug
* displayed in the dose-response curve

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8
Q

Factors influencing SUD

A
  1. genetic factors - can predispose an individual to SUD
  2. pre-existing disorders - mental illness are at higher risk of SUD
  3. environmental factors - family dynamics, trauma, social groups
  4. developmental factors - adolescence and early adulthood
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9
Q

Stigma of SUD

A

stigmatized = judged by others without knowing anything about the individual

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10
Q

Harm reduction

A

seeks to reduce/prevent the negative consequences of substance use and improve health without judgment, coercion, or discrimination, and without necessarily requiring the person to stop using the substance

  1. health harms
    - goal is to decrease morbidity and mortality
  2. societal harms
    - goal is to decrease lost productivity, apprehension of children, criminal activity
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11
Q

Misuse of substances

A

misuse = using the drug in ways or amounts other than what was prescribed, or against social norms

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12
Q

Potential for misuse

A

5 factors:
1. nature of the drug
2. route of administration
3. amount frequency of use
4. availability
5. inherent harmfulness

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13
Q

Amphetamines

A

controlled substance (restricted for certain medical conditions: narcolepsy)

the amphetamines drug class includes dextroamphetamine and methamphetamine

compounds are:
1. ritalin
2. ecstasy

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14
Q

Amphetamines: CNS effects

A
  1. a decreased threshold for transmitting sensory input to the cerebral cortex, leading to CNS excitation → can cause overstimulation, restlessness, dizziness, mild confusion, tremor, and in rare instances panic and psychosis, especially with higher doses
  2. a feeling of euphoria and reward
  3. temperature-regulated and feeding centre modifications leading to appetite suppression
  4. an increase in aggressive behaviour and mood swings
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15
Q

Other effects of amphetamines

A

Short term use:
- chest pain or heart attack
- cardiovascular collapse
- increased respiratory rate
- overdose may result in a seizure, high fever, or stroke

Long term use:
- chronic sleeping problems
- poor appetite
- anxiety, repetitive behaviour, psychoses, aggressive behaviour
- elevated blood pressure and abnormal cardiac rhythm

Concurrent use:
- use of other drugs in an attempt to antagonize various toxic effects of the amphetamines
- example: people who experience sleeping problems may seek out a CNS depressant to help them sleep
- this can lead to additional issues such a drug-drug interactions, misusing of additional drugs, and potentially SUD

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16
Q

Therapeutic use of Amphetamines

A
  • narcolepsy
    • chronic sleep disorder
  • ADHD
    • drug therapy can calm hyperactivity and improve attention and control
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17
Q

Amphetamines potential misuse

A
  • produce powerful euphoria
  • water-soluble salt forms of the drug allow for large doses that are readily injectable, resulting in rapid and intense response
  • inherent harmfulness of amphetamines is due to their long-term toxicities, including cardiovascular effects and drug-induced psychoses
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18
Q

Amphetamines potential SUD

A

tolerance: occurs, develops to the euphoria and mood-elevating effects but not to therapeutic effects

withdrawal: occurs, cessation of use results in mood depression that may be profound, prolonged sleep, huge appetite, lack of energy, and fatigue

addiction: occurs, will crave the drugs effects so intensely that if it is not available they will experience panic

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19
Q

Cocaine

A

CNS stimulant

classified as a narcotic

cocaine has a shorter duration of actions, which is usually less than an hour

cocaine is commonly sniffed or smoked

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20
Q

Mechanism of action of cocaine

Study These Flashcards
A
  • Reuptake Inhibition:
    • inhibits the active re-uptake of primarily dopamine and serotonin into the presynaptic neuron
  • postsynaptic neuron activation
    • increases the concentration of these neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft, and in turn, increases the activation of the receptors of the post-synaptic neurons
21
Q

Therapeutic use of cocaine

Study These Flashcards
A

the only legitimate use of cocaine is as a local anesthetic for the mouth and throat

22
Q

Long term effects of cocaine

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A
  • toxic psychosis including paranoia
  • hallucinations or sensations of insects crawling under the skin
  • impaired sexual function
  • permanent brain damage and impairment of neuronal function may occur
  • high blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm
  • changes to the nasal mucosa and the drug is sniffed
23
Q

Long term effects of cocaine

Study These Flashcards
A
  • toxic psychosis including paranoia
  • hallucinations or sensations of insects crawling under the skin
  • impaired sexual function
  • permanent brain damage and impairment of neuronal function may occur
  • high blood pressure and an irregular heart rhythm
  • changes to the nasal mucosa and the drug is sniffed
24
Q

Cocaine potential for misuse

Study These Flashcards
A
  • due to powerful euphoria, which can be reached rapidly by injecting the drug or smoking the freebase
    • freebase = a purified form of cocaine that has a low melting point making it easier to smoke
  • the inherent harmfulness of cocaine involves the fact that those who take the drug will experience physical or psychological deficits
    • these events do not appear to deter misuse
25
Cocaine potential for SUD
Tolerance: develops towards the mood-elevating effect of cocaine but not the drug-induced psychotic effect Withdrawal: occurs, similar to amphetamines Addiction: can occur due to the pleasurable effects
26
ADME of nicotine
Absorption: absorbed via inhalation, GI tract, oral mucosa, across the skin Distribution: distributed throughout the body and rapidly gains access to the brain Metabolism: liver Excretion: urine
27
Mechanism of action of nicotine
- stimulates nicotinic receptors at synapses similar to acetylcholine - activation of nicotinic receptors increases psychomotor activity, cognitive function, attention, and memory
28
Therapeutic use of nicotine
smoking cessation programs - where nicotine is administered in the form of chewing gum, transdermal patches, or buccal spray
29
Short term effects of smoking
- mild euphoria - enhanced arousal - increased ability to concentrate - sense of relaxation - increase in heart rate and blood pressure - suppress appetite
30
Long term effects of smoking
Cardiovascular disease - ATHEROSCLEROSIS: narrowing and hardening of arteries due to build up of plaques - THROMBI: blood clots Lung disease - smokers syndrome Cancer: - cigarette smoke is known to increase the risk of cancer of the lung, oral cavity and throat, bladder, and uterus
31
Other effects of smoking
Exposure to passive smoke is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer - passive smoke = the smoke breathed in by a non-smoker when in the presence of a smoker → secondhand smoke Smoking during pregnancy - during pregnancy, cigarette smoke has adverse effects on the developing fetus - low birth weight and premature birth
32
Nicotine potential for misuse
Nicotine is a powerful reinforcer and has a high degree of misuse potential
33
Nicotine potential for SUD
Tolerance: - does not appear to occur to any great extent - most smokers will smoke to keep nicotine blood levels at a certain range - the number of cigarettes smoked each day is the number needed to keep nicotine at this level Withdrawal: - withdrawal from smoking involves a number of symptoms such are irritability, restlessness, anxiety, insomnia, fatigue, and inability to concentrate - upon awakening in the morning, the smoker is in a state of nicotine withdrawal Addiction: - addiction does occur and manifests as an extreme urge to smoke
34
Caffeine
CNS stimulant
35
ADME of caffeine
1. absorption - taken orally, caffeine is rapidly and completely absorbed - blood levels of caffeine are significant at 30 minutes, and they peak 2 hours after ingestion 2. distribution - distributes to all parts of the body and freely crosses into the brain and placenta 3. metabolism - genetics determine the rate at which we metabolize and excrete caffeine - they are rapid metabolizers and slow metabolizers - this may explain why drinking coffee with dinner keeps some individuals awake, but not others 4. elimination - the half-life of caffeine varies among individuals from 2.5 hours to 10 hours
36
Mechanism of action of caffeine
the actions of caffeine are exerted by competitively blocking adenosine receptors in the brain when caffeine blocks these adenosine receptors, the neurons are released from the adenosine inhibition, causing an increase in dopamine release the overall effect is stimulation of the CNS
37
Short-term effects of caffeine
CNS - can produce mild mood elevation and reduce fatigue - a small increase in performance may exist - the flow of thought may be clearer and more rapid - when taken by abstainers, caffeine produces nervousness and can interfere with sleep Cardiovascular - constriction of cerebral blood vessels increases peripheral blood flow and stimulates cardiac muscle Respiration: - mild stimulation of the respiratory rate and relaxation of bronchial smooth muscle occurs
38
Effects of caffeine in special circumstances
caffeine and smoking - cigarette smoke increases the metabolism of caffeine, thus the duration of caffeine is shorted caffeine and prenancy - caffeine is not teratogenic, in that consumption of caffeine is not associated with fetal abnormalities - metabolism of caffeine is slower in pregnant people, extending the duration of action of caffeine
39
Caffeine potential for misuse
misuse potential is low caffeine does act as a mild reinforcer however, the euphoria experienced is mild in intensity the inherent harmfulness of caffeine is very low
40
Caffeine potential for SUD
tolerance: - some evidence suggests that tolerance does develop to caffeine, at least in some individuals withdrawal: - abrupt cessation of caffeine intake will result in mild withdrawal consisting of headache, fatigue, and drowsiness addiction: - mild addiction can occur
41
Classes of drugs used in sports
1. amphetamines 2. anabolic steroids 3. benzodiazepines 4. Blood doping and erythropoietin 5. diuretics
42
Amphetamines in sports
produces increased alertness, a feeling of power, reduced fatigue, increased aggression, increased responsiveness, increased heart rate and blood pressure which contribute to increased endurance and speed Cause appetite suppression A large dose of amphetamines can lead to fatal increases in blood pressure - as it wears off, the person experiences crashes
43
Anabolic steroids
increase muscle mass and strength in a large variety of sports synthetic anabolic steroids have reduced androgenic effects but maintain the anabolic effects while testosterone has both androgenic and anabolic properties - androgenic: effects on secondary male sex characteristics - anabolic: the building of muscle mass anti-catabolic - describes processes that reduce the breakdown of proteins and muscle tissue - anabolic steroids produce this response athletes can train so hard that they use protein from their muscles to fuel their training - this action is blocked by anabolic steroids, allowing athletes to maintain muscle mass
44
toxicities of anabolic steroids
- mood swings - severe acne - cardiovascular disease - altered liver function - reduced testosterone levels In women: - synthetic anabolic steroids produce some androgenic effects which include: - increase in facial and body hair - lowered voice - enlarged clitoris, increased libido - amenorrhea → absence of menstruation
45
Benzodiazepines
- Ativan or Valium - reduce stress and anxiety - impair psychomotor coordination and focus at higher doses, so the benefits are closely weighed with potential impairments in performance
46
Blood doping and erythropoietin
- blood doping is an effort to raise the number of blood cells by taking the blood out, storing it and then reinfection to the body’s tissues when stored blood is returned to the body there’s a sudden boost to red blood cells - those cells carry higher than normal amounts of oxygen to muscles, enhancing performance EPO is also used to boot the body natural production of red blood cells - stimulates your bone marrow to make more red blood cells boosting levels of oxygen getting to your muscles and boosting performance
47
Diuretics
enhance excretion or salt and water through the kidneys these drugs are used just before a competition to reduce body water ad allow the athlete to compete in a lower weight class in wrestling, weight lifting, and other sports with weight classes also taken to hasten the excretion of other banned drugs in an attempt to avoid detection
48
Why ban performance enhancing drugs?
1. athlete protection 2. unfair advantage

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