Understanding Medicines

Medicine• Definition: substances that, when taken internally

or applied to the body, help prevent or cure a disease or other medical problem

• Classifications• Prevent disease• Fight pathogens • (microorganisms that enter the body and attack its

cells and tissues)• Relieve pain• Help the heart and regulate blood pressure

Medicines that prevent disease• Vaccines• Contain a weakened or dead pathogen to a particular

disease• Given to prevent one from contracting that disease• When the body is exposed to the vaccine it makes

antibodies against that disease• These antibodies stay in the body so when exposed to the

real disease the body is prepared to fight it off

• Antitoxins• Extracts of blood fluids that contain antibodies • Act more quickly than vaccines• Are made by inoculating animals and uses their antibodies• Injected into human after a possible exposure

Medicines that fight pathogens• Antibiotics• Chemical agents that destroy disease causing

microorganisms but leave the patient unharmed• Penicillin- discovered in 1928 by Sir Alexander Fleming• They either kill the bacteria or stop it from reproducing• ARE NOT affective against viruses• Several bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics• When someone doesn’t take the full amount of an

antibiotic, or stops taking it early, the bacteria becomes more resistant to that antibiotic

Medicine to relieve pain• Analgesics

• OTC analgesics can be harmful• Stomach irritation- ulcers• Thins the blood making clotting difficult• Dizziness and tinnitus• Reye’s syndrome in children (illness of brain and liver)

• Common OTC analgesics• Aspirin• Ibuprofen (Advil)- anti-inflammatory• Acetaminophen (Tylenol)

• Narcotics• Prescription only• Can be highly addictive• Commonly derivatives of morphine and codeine

Analgesics (Pain Relievers)• Aspirin: relieve pain and reduce fever

-Blood Thinner-upset stomach, dizziness and ringing in

ears -Reye’s Syndrome (brain and liver)

• Recommended for your age: -Acetaminophen

• Analgesics have a full range from mild to strong -Strong=Narcotics examples?

Managing Chronic Conditions• Treat long term illnesses, maintain or restore

health, offer a higher level of wellness.-Allergy Medicines: Antihistamines reduce allergy symptoms by blocking the chemical release from the immune system. Life threatening=single shot of epinephrine

• Body-regulating medicines: help regulate body chemistry-Insulin, Inhaler, cardiovascular

• Antidepressant and Antipsychotic: Help regulate brain chemistry or stabilize moods.

• Cancer Treatments: slow or stop the growth of the cancer cells.

Cardiovascular medicines• Five types• Beta blockers- helps slow heart rate and lower blood

pressure• Diuretics- decreases water and sodium, reducing blood

fluid volume, especially important after heart failure• Vasodilators- dilate blood vessels to increase blood and

oxygen flow• Antiarrhythmic- help control abnormal heart rhythms• Clot- Dissolving – lower hypertension and prevents blot

clotting

How Medicines can Enter the Body• There are four ways they can enter• 1. oral medications (by mouth)• 2. topical medications (through the skin)• 3. Inhaled medications (breathed in through the

lungs)• 4. Injected medications (through a needle, or bite)

Reactions in the body• Be aware of side effects.• When two medicines are taken together or taken with

certain foods- the effect may not be the same when the medicine is taken by itself.• Additive interactions- when medicines work together in a positive

way• Synergistic effect- when two or more medicines react resulting in

a greater effect than when taken alone• Antagonistic interaction- when the effect of a medicine is

cancelled or reduced by another medicine

• Tolerance- when the body becomes used to the effects and so needs more to get same results

• Withdrawal- when someone stops using a medicine and the body reacts to the lack of it in the system

Medicine Safety• Always keep medicine in the original container,

with the original label.• Store medicine out of reach of children.• If children are in the house always use the child

proof caps provided.• Throw out ALL medicines after their expiration

dates.• Know the possible side effects.• Use medicine as directed and for the entire time

directed.

Medicine Misuse• Definition: using a medication in a way other than

the one intended.• Examples of misuse• Giving your prescription to someone else• Taking too much or too little of the medication• Taking someone else’s medication• Stopping use without informing the prescribing doctor• Taking medicine longer then directed• Mixing medicines without direction to do so from a doctor

Medicine Abuse• Intentionally taking medications for nonmedical

reasons. -to lose weight -to stay awake -to fit in -”pill parties” -taking someone else's prescription

Drug Overdose• A strong sometimes fatal reaction to taking a

large amount of a drug.

FDA (Food and Drug Administration)• Makes sure all drugs are safe to use• Finds out what possible side effects there are• Doesn’t regulate Herbal and Dietary Supplements• Goes through clinical Trials, could still be

experimental.

• Prescription Medicines: medicines that are dispensed only with the written approval of licensed physician or nurse practitioner.

• Over-the-Counter (OTC): medicines you can buy without a doctor’s prescription.