Help Heart and Regulate Blood Pressure The Role of Medicines Medicines are substances that, when taken internally or applied to the body, help prevent or cure a disease or other medical problem Prevent Disease Fight Pathogens 4 CATEGORIES Help Heart and Regulate Blood Pressure Relieve Pain

Medicines That Prevent Disease -a preparation, containing weakened or dead pathogens that cause a particular disease, given to prevent one from contracting that disease VACCINES immunization Rabies -extracts of blood fluids that contain antibodies and act more quickly than vaccines. ANTITOXINS diphtheria tetanus

Medicines that Fight Pathogens *chemical agents that destroy disease-causing microorganisms PENNICILLIN -Kill or prevent bacteria preventing them from reproducing

Cardiovascular Medicine BETA BLOCKERS DIURETICS Block the action of nerves that constrict blood vessels. Slows the heartbeat and lowers blood pressure. Increase urine production to reduce the amount of water and sodium in a person’s body 5 MAIN TYPES VASODILATORS Dilate the veins and arteries to increase blood and oxygen flow ANTIARRHYTHMICS CLOT DISSOLVERS Lowers blood pressure and helps prevent clots Used to treat irregular heart beats (arrhythmia)

Medicines That Relieve Pain What do you take for your headache? ANALGESICS Narcotics Aspirin Aspirin = acetylsalicylic acid headache dizziness stomach irritation Reye's syndrome Ibuprofen = anti-inflammatory Acetaminophen = pain reliever/NOT anti-inflammatory

Medicines and the Body ADDITIVE INTERACTION TOLERANCE Body becomes used to the effect of a medicine Medicines work in a POSITIVE way SYNERGISTIC EFFECT The combination of two or medications that cause a GREATER effect than when take alone WITHDRAWAL Happens when you stop taking a medication after you have developed a physical dependence ANTAGONISTIC INTERACTION One medication reduces or CANCELS out another