Medicine & Drugs Medicines are divided into classes & have different effects on different people. Medicines are only safe if they are used for the intended purpose & according to the directions on the label.

Types of Medicines Main Idea: Medicines are classified on how they work in your body. Medicines = drugs that are used to treat or prevent diseases or other conditions. Drugs = substances other than food that change the structure or function of the body or mind Medicines that treat or prevent illness can be classified into 4 broad categories: Help prevent disease Fight pathogens Relieve pain & other symptoms Manage chronic conditions, maintain/restore health, & regulate body’s systems.

Preventing Disease 95% of children receive vaccines, a preparation that prevents a person from contracting a specific disease. Some vaccines have to be updated every year or several years

Fighting Pathogens Antiobiotics = class of drug that destroy disease-causing bacteria Effective only against bacteria, not viruses Body can develop resistance if overused Don’t finish taking them Antivirals = available to treat viral illness, such as flu Suppress the virus but do not kill it People will still have virus in their body Antifungals = suppress or kill fungus cells, such as ringworm

Relieving Pain Most commonly used drugs are analgesics, or pain relievers Can be relatively mild (aspirin or Tylenol®) Aspirin should not be taken by youth under age 20—can cause life-threatening disease Can be a narcotic (morphine, codeine) Can become addictive & require a doctor’s prescription

Managing Chronic Conditions Allergy medicines: Antihistamines reduce allergy symptoms by blocking chemicals released by the immune system that cause an allergic reaction Body-Regulating medicines: regulate body chemistry Insulin-regulates sugar in blood Inhalers-regulate oxygen flow to lungs Antidepressant & Antipsychotic medicines : help people suffering from mental illness by regulating brain chemistry or stabilizing moods Cancer Treatment Medicines: can treat or cure cancers by reducing rapid cell growth & help stop the spread of cancer cells. Chemotherapy: uses chemicals to kill fast-growing cancer cells Immunotherapy: uses body’s immune system to fight the cancer cells

Taking Medications Main Idea: Medicines enter the body in a variety of ways. Oral medicines = taken by mouth in form of tablets, capsules, or liquids Topical Medicines = applied to the skin Inhaled Medicines = delivered in a fine mist or powder Injected Medicines = delivered through a shot & go directly into the bloodstream

Reactions to Medications Main Idea: The effect of medicine depends on many factors. Side Effects = reactions to medicine other than one intended Medicine Interactions Additive Interaction = occurs when medicines work together in a positive way. Synergistic Effect = the interaction of two or more medicines that results in a greater effect than when each medicine is taken alone Antagonistic Interaction = the effect of 1 medicine is cancelled or reduced when taken with another. Tolerance and Withdrawal Tolerance = condition in which the body becomes used to the effect of the medicine. Body requires increasingly larger doses to produce the same effect. Withdrawal = Occurs when a person stops using a medicine on which he/she has become physiologically dependent Symptoms: nervousness, insomnia, severe headaches, vomiting, chills, and cramps

Using Medicines Safely Prescription Medicines = medicines that are dispensed only with the written approval of a licensed physician or nurse practioner Over-the-counter (OTC) = medicines you can buy without a doctor’s prescription Medicine Misuse = using a medicine in ways other than intended use Medicine Abuse = intentionally taking medications for nonmedicinal reasons Drug Overdose = strong, sometimes fatal reaction to taking a large amount of a drug.